golang/go · error

error opening file created by 'svn export': %v

Error message

error opening file created by 'svn export': %v

What it means

svnReadZip iterates over entries returned by `svn list` and opens each file produced by `svn export`. When os.Open fails with an error that is NOT IsNotExist (which has its own dedicated message), the generic opening error is returned with %v. Indicates a permission, I/O, or concurrency problem with the exported file, not a missing file.

Source

Thrown at src/cmd/go/internal/modfetch/codehost/svn.go:154

	basePath := path.Join(path.Base(remote), subdir)

	zw := zip.NewWriter(dst)
	for _, e := range list.Entries {
		if e.Kind != "file" {
			continue
		}

		zf, err := zw.Create(path.Join(basePath, e.Name))
		if err != nil {
			return err
		}

		f, err := os.Open(filepath.Join(exportDir, e.Name))
		if err != nil {
			if os.IsNotExist(err) {
				return vcsErrorf("file reported by 'svn list', but not written by 'svn export': %s", e.Name)
			}
			return fmt.Errorf("error opening file created by 'svn export': %v", err)
		}

		n, err := io.Copy(zf, f)
		f.Close()
		if err != nil {
			return err
		}
		if n != e.Size {
			return vcsErrorf("file size differs between 'svn list' and 'svn export': file %s listed as %v bytes, but exported as %v bytes", e.Name, e.Size, n)
		}
	}

	return zw.Close()
}

View on GitHub (pinned to b6b368adc5)

Solutions

1. Run `go clean -cache` to discard the corrupted svn export tree and retry.
2. Ensure no other go command or svn process is concurrently using the same work directory.
3. Check filesystem permissions and SELinux/AppArmor denials on GOCACHE and the export dir.
4. Free disk space — svn export may have produced truncated files due to ENOSPC.

// svn export is racy with the filesystem — retry once after clearing the export dir.
err := svnReadZip(...)
if err != nil && strings.Contains(err.Error(), "error opening file created by 'svn export'") {
    os.RemoveAll(exportDir)
    err = svnReadZip(...)
}

When it happens

Trigger: File listed by `svn list` exists on disk after export but cannot be opened — permissions denied, file locked, race with another process removing it, or filesystem error.

Common situations: Concurrent go commands sharing an svn work directory; antivirus or SELinux denying reads of the export; svn export partially failed leaving zero-byte or locked files; disk full mid-export.

Related errors

• reading %s: %v
• failed to create cache directory: %w
• could not create module cache: %w
• codehost.WorkDir: can't find or create lock file: %v
• updating go.sum: %w

AI-assisted analysis of golang/go@b6b368adc5 (2026-08-12). Data as JSON: /api/errors/01bd4fca3b7e2ad9. Report an issue: GitHub.