dgraph-io/badger · error

Invalid filename: %s

Error message

Invalid filename: %s

What it means

OpenTable derives the table ID from the mmap'd file's base name via ParseFileID. If the filename doesn't contain a parseable table ID (the expected 'NNNNNN.sst' / table-number format), OpenTable closes the file and returns 'Invalid filename: <name>'.

Source

Thrown at table/table.go:285

// deleting. Checksum for all blocks of table is verified based on value of chkMode.
func OpenTable(mf *z.MmapFile, opts Options) (*Table, error) {
	// BlockSize is used to compute the approximate size of the decompressed
	// block. It should not be zero if the table is compressed.
	if opts.BlockSize == 0 && opts.Compression != options.None {
		_ = mf.Close(-1)
		return nil, errors.New("Block size cannot be zero")
	}
	fileInfo, err := mf.Fd.Stat()
	if err != nil {
		mf.Close(-1)
		return nil, y.Wrap(err, "")
	}

	filename := fileInfo.Name()
	id, ok := ParseFileID(filename)
	if !ok {
		mf.Close(-1)
		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Invalid filename: %s", filename)
	}
	t := &Table{
		MmapFile:   mf,
		id:         id,
		opt:        &opts,
		IsInmemory: false,
		tableSize:  int(fileInfo.Size()),
		CreatedAt:  fileInfo.ModTime(),
	}
	// Caller is given one reference.
	t.ref.Store(1)

	if err := t.initBiggestAndSmallest(); err != nil {
		_ = mf.Close(-1)
		return nil, y.Wrapf(err, "failed to initialize table")
	}

	if opts.ChkMode == options.OnTableRead || opts.ChkMode == options.OnTableAndBlockRead {

View on GitHub (pinned to 2a001d466f)

Solutions

1. Ensure the file name matches badger's table naming scheme (numeric ID + table extension) before calling OpenTable; only pass files matched by the table-id regex/glob
2. Rename the file back to its valid form (e.g. 000001.sst) if it was renamed for backup
3. Filter directory listings using table.ParseFileID or the table file pattern before constructing tables
4. Open the DB through badger.Open so only valid table files are opened

Example fix

// before
mf, err := z.OpenMmapFile("000001.sst.bak", ...) // invalid name
tbl, err := table.OpenTable(mf, opts)
// after
id, ok := table.ParseFileID("000001.sst")
if !ok { return fmt.Errorf("not a table file") }
tbl, err := table.OpenTable(mf, opts)

if _, ok := table.ParseFileID(filepath.Base(path)); !ok {
	return nil, fmt.Errorf("%s is not a badger table file", path)
}

func isTableFile(name string) bool {
	_, ok := table.ParseFileID(name)
	return ok
}

tbl, err := table.OpenTable(mf, opts)
if err != nil {
	if strings.HasPrefix(err.Error(), "Invalid filename:") {
		_ = mf.Close(-1) // not a table file; skip it
		return nil, err
	}
	return nil, err
}

When it happens

Trigger: Opening a mmap'd file that is not a badger table file — e.g. keylog/vlog files, temp files, lock files, files with unusual suffixes, or renamed tables — by passing it to OpenTable; pointing OpenTable at a file copied with a modified name (e.g. '000001.sst.bak' or 'table1.sst').

Common situations: Iterating a directory and opening every mmap-able file as a table instead of filtering *.sst; renaming or copying table files for backup/inspection with extra extensions; hand-edited or corrupted filenames; running OpenTable on files from a different badger component.

Related errors

• Cannot find directory %q for read-only open
• Unable to open log dir.
• Unable to parse log id.
• Unable to open mem dir.
• ERROR: Invalid badger.compression argument

AI-assisted analysis of dgraph-io/badger@2a001d466f (2026-09-05). Data as JSON: /api/errors/81b6ceded657015d. Report an issue: GitHub.