What causes "editor::lang.filesystem.destination_exists" in octobercms/october?

Delete or rename the colliding entry in the destination, then retry the move

octobercms/october · error · ApplicationException

editor::lang.filesystem.destination_exists

Error message

editor::lang.filesystem.destination_exists

What it means

Thrown by editorMoveFilesOrDirectories when the destination already contains an entry with the same name AND same type as the item being moved (is_file+is_file or is_dir+is_dir, lines 200-206). Message: 'File or directory with this name already exists: :name'. Moving an item onto its own location is skipped silently (originalFullPath == newFullPath continue), so this is specifically a genuine collision at the target.

Source

Thrown at modules/editor/traits/FileSystemFunctions.php:202

        }

        foreach ($selectedList as $path) {
            if (!$this->validateFileSystemPath($path)) {
                throw new ApplicationException(Lang::get('editor::lang.filesystem.invalid_path'));
            }

            $basename = basename($path);
            $originalFullPath = $basePath.'/'.$path;
            $newFullPath = rtrim($destinationFullPath, '/').'/'.$basename;
            $safeDir = $basePath;

            if ($originalFullPath == $newFullPath) {
                continue;
            }

            if ((is_file($originalFullPath) && is_file($newFullPath))
                || (is_dir($originalFullPath) && is_dir($newFullPath))) {
                throw new ApplicationException(Lang::get(
                    'editor::lang.filesystem.destination_exists',
                    ['name' => $basename]
                ));
            }

            if (is_file($originalFullPath)) {
                if (!@File::move($originalFullPath, $newFullPath)) {
                    throw new ApplicationException(Lang::get(
                        'editor::lang.filesystem.error_moving_file',
                        ['file' => $basename]
                    ));
                }
            }
            elseif (is_dir($originalFullPath)) {
                if (!@File::copyDirectory($originalFullPath, $newFullPath)) {
                    throw new ApplicationException(Lang::get(
                        'editor::lang.filesystem.error_moving_directory',
                        ['dir' => $basename]

View on GitHub (pinned to b608633a7e)

Solutions

Delete or rename the colliding entry in the destination, then retry the move
Choose a different destination directory for the move
Refresh both trees — the collision may come from a stale view of the destination
After interrupted directory moves, compare source and destination copies and clean up duplicates before retrying

Example fix

// before: assets/img already contains logo.png
{ "source": ["img/logo.png"], "destination": "img" } // blocked
// after: delete target copy first, or move elsewhere
{ "source": ["img/logo.png"], "destination": "img/archive" }

Defensive patterns

Strategy: validation

Validate before calling

$basename = basename($path);
$newFullPath = rtrim($destinationFullPath, '/').'/'.$basename;
$sameType = (is_file($assetsBase.'/'.$path) && is_file($newFullPath))
    || (is_dir($assetsBase.'/'.$path) && is_dir($newFullPath));
if ($sameType) {
    // delete/rename the target entry or pick another destination first
}

Prevention

Check the destination listing for same-named entries before dropping
After failed/interrupted moves, clean partial copies before retrying
Remember only same-type collisions are blocked here — mixed types fail later at the IO step

When it happens

Trigger: command_onAssetMove of 'img/logo.png' into a directory that already has 'img/logo.png'; moving folder 'js/lib' into a destination containing a 'js/lib' folder. Note the type must match: a same-named FILE where you move a DIRECTORY passes this check and fails later with error_moving_directory.

Common situations: Repeating a move after a previous partial success (copy-based dir moves can leave duplicates); forgetting an earlier move placed the same asset in the target; two sessions moving the same asset to the same folder.

Related errors

AI-assisted analysis of octobercms/october@b608633a7e (2026-08-21). Data as JSON: /api/errors/f8a837a501e114e8. Report an issue: GitHub.