Period After Folder Name in Output is not blocked! #90444

New Issue

Blender Bach · 2021-08-04T23:53:45+02:00

Blender Bach commented

2021-08-04 23:53:45 +02:00

System Information
Operating system: Windows 10
Graphics card: GTX 1050
(Important Notice: All Hardware has this issue. It is software based!)

Blender Version
Broken: (1.60 - 3.0)
Worked: (None)

Short description of error
When saving an image sequence, if folder has more than one period at the end, it gets saved and Windows cannot deal with that folder.

Exact steps for others to reproduce the error
Step 1: Go to the Output Properties Panel
Step 2: Type /tmp/YourFilenameWithThreeDotsAtTheEnd...
Step 3: Hit the Render Animation button

Result
You now have a folder on your Windows Computer that is impossible to open or delete or do anything with because it has an invalid filename that has a compatibility issue left over from the early DOS days. This is a severe issue!

Thanks!

**System Information** Operating system: Windows 10 Graphics card: GTX 1050 (Important Notice: All Hardware has this issue. It is software based!) **Blender Version** Broken: (1.60 - 3.0) Worked: (None) **Short description of error** When saving an image sequence, if folder has more than one period at the end, it gets saved and Windows cannot deal with that folder. **Exact steps for others to reproduce the error** Step 1: Go to the Output Properties Panel Step 2: Type /tmp/YourFilenameWithThreeDotsAtTheEnd...\ Step 3: Hit the Render Animation button **Result** You now have a folder on your Windows Computer that is impossible to open or delete or do anything with because it has an invalid filename that has a compatibility issue left over from the early DOS days. This is a severe issue!![image.png](https://archive.blender.org/developer/F10266084/image.png) ![image.png](https://archive.blender.org/developer/F10266089/image.png) **Thanks!**

Blender Bach commented

2021-08-04 23:53:45 +02:00

Added subscriber: @BlenderBach

Richard Antalik commented

2021-08-05 00:28:11 +02:00

Added subscriber: @iss

Richard Antalik commented

2021-08-05 00:28:11 +02:00

Changed status from 'Needs Triage' to: 'Confirmed'

Richard Antalik commented

2021-08-05 00:28:11 +02:00

This will probably be issue in more places than render output.

Harley Acheson commented

2021-08-05 00:49:34 +02:00

Added subscriber: @Harley

Harley Acheson commented

2021-08-05 00:49:34 +02:00

Hmm.... if you choose to make a folder that ends in dots then can always remove it like this:

del /s "\\?\C:\tmp\FolderWithThreeDots..."

Hmm.... if you choose to make a folder that ends in dots then can always remove it like this: ``` del /s "\\?\C:\tmp\FolderWithThreeDots..." ```

Ray molenkamp commented

2021-08-05 00:56:59 +02:00

Added subscriber: @LazyDodo

Ray molenkamp commented

2021-08-05 00:56:59 +02:00

This comment was removed by @LazyDodo

*This comment was removed by @LazyDodo*

kursad k commented

2021-08-05 01:36:58 +02:00

Added subscriber: @kursadk

kursad k commented

2021-08-05 01:36:58 +02:00

Isn't it a user responsibility to conform the OS requirements when it comes to file and folder names? Blender is not at fault here as far as I can tell.

Richard Antalik commented

2021-08-05 01:52:57 +02:00

I have confirmed this, because we have function BLI_filename_make_safe so it can be used perhaps with RNA set function. Path would be sanitized if you would enter it through file browser. In this case, path is also ammended, but there is report for that too - #88193

I have confirmed this, because we have function `BLI_filename_make_safe` so it can be used perhaps with RNA set function. Path would be sanitized if you would enter it through file browser. In this case, path is also ammended, but there is report for that too - #88193

Blender Bach commented

2021-08-05 02:40:23 +02:00

In #90444#1201933, @Harley wrote:
Hmm.... if you choose to make a folder that ends in dots then can always remove it like this:
del /s "\\?\C:\tmp\FolderWithThreeDots..."

Yes, I know that. However, not everyone is a tech wizard. There should be some kind of emergency name filter put in place that forcefully removes the periods so someone doesn't mess up by mistake.

> In #90444#1201933, @Harley wrote: > Hmm.... if you choose to make a folder that ends in dots then can always remove it like this: > > ``` > del /s "\\?\C:\tmp\FolderWithThreeDots..." > ``` Yes, I know that. However, not everyone is a tech wizard. There should be some kind of emergency name filter put in place that forcefully removes the periods so someone doesn't mess up by mistake.

Blender Bach commented

2021-08-05 02:47:18 +02:00

In #90444#1201967, @kursadk wrote:
Isn't it a user responsibility to conform the OS requirements when it comes to file and folder names? Blender is not at fault here as far as I can tell.

Actually, every normal software has a special block filter that tells you that it can't use this filename because it is invalid for the Operating System. Blender should also have a special blocking filter so no one makes a mistake, and then freak out that they have folder that is impossible to delete or use. (I know how to interface with these folders via command line, but not everyone does). I suggest adding a special force name block so this doesn't happen to unsuspecting users... Remember, Windows is not Linux. Linux supports these things because Linux was designed differently. Windows, on the other hand, uses compatibility with DOS, which in turn has many issues. Unfortunately, Blender isn't nearly as good with Windows as with Linux since from TRACES (Blender's Predecessor) that worked on Amiga Workbench OS (UNIX based OS) all the way to Blender 1.60 they all used UNIX and Linux based Operating Systems, so they were all to work better with that. Windows was a later port and since it was just an afterthought, there are still some bugs that need to be ironed out to have a perfect Windows compatibility...
P.S. So far, I have been impressed by Blender for many years. In all of my 6 years of Blender, this is my first ever Bug report. Amazing!

> In #90444#1201967, @kursadk wrote: > Isn't it a user responsibility to conform the OS requirements when it comes to file and folder names? Blender is not at fault here as far as I can tell. Actually, every normal software has a special block filter that tells you that it can't use this filename because it is invalid for the Operating System. Blender should also have a special blocking filter so no one makes a mistake, and then freak out that they have folder that is impossible to delete or use. (I know how to interface with these folders via command line, but not everyone does). I suggest adding a special force name block so this doesn't happen to unsuspecting users... Remember, Windows is not Linux. Linux supports these things because Linux was designed differently. Windows, on the other hand, uses compatibility with DOS, which in turn has many issues. Unfortunately, Blender isn't nearly as good with Windows as with Linux since from TRACES (Blender's Predecessor) that worked on Amiga Workbench OS (UNIX based OS) all the way to Blender 1.60 they all used UNIX and Linux based Operating Systems, so they were all to work better with that. Windows was a later port and since it was just an afterthought, there are still some bugs that need to be ironed out to have a perfect Windows compatibility... P.S. So far, I have been impressed by Blender for many years. In all of my 6 years of Blender, this is my first ever Bug report. Amazing!

Daniel Salazar changed title from ~~SEVERE!!! Period After Folder Name in Output is not blocked!~~ to Period After Folder Name in Output is not blocked!

2021-08-05 05:37:46 +02:00

Daniel Salazar commented

2021-08-05 05:40:50 +02:00

Added subscriber: @zanqdo

Daniel Salazar commented

2021-08-05 05:40:50 +02:00

If such a sanitizer is implemente it should better be a part of the file saving operation, otherwise (like in my report) it could block perfectly valid filenames

Blender Bach commented

2021-08-05 05:42:47 +02:00

In #90444#1202036, @zanqdo wrote:
If such a sanitizer is implemente it should better be a part of the file saving operation, otherwise (like in my report) it could block perfectly valid filenames

What I mean is that it should always look at the first and last characters. If one of them is a period, it should just automatically change it to an underscore as an emergency to avoid issues. This way the filename remains intact, and only the period gets removed.

> In #90444#1202036, @zanqdo wrote: > If such a sanitizer is implemente it should better be a part of the file saving operation, otherwise (like in my report) it could block perfectly valid filenames What I mean is that it should always look at the first and last characters. If one of them is a period, it should just automatically change it to an underscore as an emergency to avoid issues. This way the filename remains intact, and only the period gets removed.

Daniel Salazar commented

2021-08-05 05:49:59 +02:00

The problem with that is Blender doesn't know if the last thing in your path is the full filename or is gonna get extended by the numbering and extension.

Something like File. can be perfectly valid it it's gonna be written as File.001.png

So basically the sanitizer needs to be smarter than just checking the last character of the path.

The problem with that is Blender doesn't know if the last thing in your path is the full filename or is gonna get extended by the numbering and extension. Something like *File.* can be perfectly valid it it's gonna be written as *File.001.png* So basically the sanitizer needs to be smarter than just checking the last character of the path.

Blender Bach commented

2021-08-05 05:55:56 +02:00

In #90444#1202046, @zanqdo wrote:
The problem with that is Blender doesn't know if the last thing in your path is the full filename or is gonna get extended by the numbering and extension.

Something like File. can be perfectly valid it it's gonna be written as File.001.png

So basically the sanitizer needs to be smarter than just checking the last character of the path.

They got to do something... I'm not the programmer, I'm the "Dumb Monkey Tester"

> In #90444#1202046, @zanqdo wrote: > The problem with that is Blender doesn't know if the last thing in your path is the full filename or is gonna get extended by the numbering and extension. > > Something like *File.* can be perfectly valid it it's gonna be written as *File.001.png* > > So basically the sanitizer needs to be smarter than just checking the last character of the path. They got to do something... I'm not the programmer, I'm the "Dumb Monkey Tester"

Campbell Barton commented

2021-08-05 10:04:30 +02:00

Added subscriber: @ideasman42

Campbell Barton commented

2021-08-05 10:04:30 +02:00

It's not obvious what an ideal solution would be in this case since files may be saved on Linux/macOS where this isn't a limitation.

Any logic that changes the output directory from the one that's requested could cause problems for rendering utilities that scan the output directory later on.

This will be an issue for any part of Blender that makes directories, not just rendering (off the top of my head...) unpacking files, generated proxies, point-cache.

It's not obvious what an ideal solution would be in this case since files may be saved on Linux/macOS where this isn't a limitation. Any logic that changes the output directory from the one that's requested could cause problems for rendering utilities that scan the output directory later on. This will be an issue for any part of Blender that makes directories, not just rendering (off the top of my head...) unpacking files, generated proxies, point-cache.

Blender Bach commented

2021-08-05 10:10:13 +02:00

In #90444#1202094, @ideasman42 wrote:
It's not obvious what an ideal solution would be in this case since files may be saved on Linux/macOS where this isn't a limitation.

Any logic that changes the output directory from the one that's requested could cause problems for rendering utilities that scan the output directory later on.

This will be an issue for any part of Blender that makes directories, not just rendering (off the top of my head...) unpacking files, generated proxies, point-cache.

This is exactly another reason why I hate Windows. (Or as I like to call it, "Obnoxious OS")

> In #90444#1202094, @ideasman42 wrote: > It's not obvious what an ideal solution would be in this case since files may be saved on Linux/macOS where this isn't a limitation. > > Any logic that changes the output directory from the one that's requested could cause problems for rendering utilities that scan the output directory later on. > > This will be an issue for any part of Blender that makes directories, not just rendering (off the top of my head...) unpacking files, generated proxies, point-cache. This is exactly another reason why I hate Windows. (Or as I like to call it, "Obnoxious OS")

Harley Acheson commented

2021-08-05 16:08:35 +02:00

Realistically though, this doesn’t seem to be critical

This rarely happens as users are unlikely to name things this way.
If a user does this once they will not do so again
It’s easily fixed after a quick google search

In a nutshell, this naming IS supported by the Windows file system, but is just not handled well in the Windows UI. The same thing can happen with files or folders that end with a space.

Ultimately it might be best to simply do what the user asked to do rather than guess at their intentions and disallow behavior that could be intentional for someone else. Sometimes the best answer to “it hurts when I do this” is “then don’t do that”

Realistically though, this doesn’t seem to be critical - This rarely happens as users are unlikely to name things this way. - If a user does this once they will not do so again - It’s easily fixed after a quick google search In a nutshell, this naming IS supported by the Windows file system, but is just not handled well in the Windows UI. The same thing can happen with files or folders that end with a space. Ultimately it might be best to simply do what the user asked to do rather than guess at their intentions and disallow behavior that could be intentional for someone else. Sometimes the best answer to “it hurts when I do this” is “then don’t do that”

kursad k commented

2021-08-05 18:31:29 +02:00

Please bear in mind that this report assumes everything is happening under windows with local drives. What if the user is setting such folder on a Samba network drive where the files will be later used by on a Linux Pc that has access to those folders?

I do not see why Blender needs to bend backwards to try to catch all possibilities with all file and folder names issues.

Please bear in mind that this report assumes everything is happening under windows with local drives. What if the user is setting such folder on a Samba network drive where the files will be later used by on a Linux Pc that has access to those folders? I do not see why Blender needs to bend backwards to try to catch all possibilities with all file and folder names issues.

Campbell Barton commented

2021-08-06 08:39:11 +02:00

Changed status from 'Confirmed' to: 'Archived'

Campbell Barton closed this issue

2021-08-06 08:39:11 +02:00

Campbell Barton commented

2021-08-06 08:39:11 +02:00

Closing this report as it doesn't seem practical to attempt to prevent this situation from happening, especially when this is not a common problem that users face (as far as I know this is the first time it's been reported).

Closing this report as it doesn't seem practical to attempt to prevent this situation from happening, especially when this is not a common problem that users face *(as far as I know this is the first time it's been reported).*

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Period After Folder Name in Output is not blocked! #90444