Copy of symlink failed

On linux webserver (remote side) I have two directories: "test" and "js" (on the same directory level). Inside "test" directory there is a symlink "js" pointing to "../js". If I try to copy (F5) "test" directory to a local side I get this error message:

General failure (server should provide error description).
Error code: 4
Error message from server: Failure
Request code: 5

I'm using WinSCP 3.7.6 on WinXP, SFTP v3, Norton Commander interface.

Log file content is too long to post it here, but this is the part concerning "js" symlink:

. 2005-08-17 10:35:49.992 Reading symlink "js".
> 2005-08-17 10:35:49.992 Type: SSH_FXP_READLINK, Size: 35, Number: 5907
> 2005-08-17 10:35:49.992 13,00,00,17,13,00,00,00,1A,2F,76,61,72,2F,77,77,77,2F,6C,6F,63,61,6C,68,6F,
> 2005-08-17 10:35:49.992 73,74,2F,68,74,74,70,2F,6A,73,
. 2005-08-17 10:35:49.992 Sent 39 bytes
. 2005-08-17 10:35:49.992 There are 0 bytes remaining in the send buffer
> 2005-08-17 10:35:49.992 Type: SSH_FXP_STAT, Size: 35, Number: 6161
> 2005-08-17 10:35:49.992 11,00,00,18,11,00,00,00,1A,2F,76,61,72,2F,77,77,77,2F,6C,6F,63,61,6C,68,6F,
> 2005-08-17 10:35:49.992 73,74,2F,68,74,74,70,2F,6A,73,
. 2005-08-17 10:35:49.992 Sent 39 bytes
. 2005-08-17 10:35:49.992 There are 0 bytes remaining in the send buffer
. 2005-08-17 10:35:49.992 Waiting for another 4 bytes
. 2005-08-17 10:35:49.992 Looking for incoming data
. 2005-08-17 10:35:50.042 Select result is 1
. 2005-08-17 10:35:50.042 Received 4 bytes
. 2005-08-17 10:35:50.042 Received 28 bytes
< 2005-08-17 10:35:50.042 Type: SSH_FXP_STATUS, Size: 28, Number: 5644
< 2005-08-17 10:35:50.042 65,00,00,16,0C,00,00,00,01,00,00,00,0B,45,6E,64,20,6F,66,20,66,69,6C,65,00,
< 2005-08-17 10:35:50.042 00,00,00,
. 2005-08-17 10:35:50.042 Storing reserved response
. 2005-08-17 10:35:50.042 Waiting for another 4 bytes
. 2005-08-17 10:35:50.042 Looking for incoming data
. 2005-08-17 10:35:50.082 Select result is 1
. 2005-08-17 10:35:50.082 Received 4 bytes
. 2005-08-17 10:35:50.082 Received 28 bytes
< 2005-08-17 10:35:50.082 Type: SSH_FXP_STATUS, Size: 28, Number: 5907
< 2005-08-17 10:35:50.082 65,00,00,17,13,00,00,00,05,00,00,00,0B,42,61,64,20,6D,65,73,73,61,67,65,00,
< 2005-08-17 10:35:50.082 00,00,00,
< 2005-08-17 10:35:50.082 Status/error code: 5, Message: 5907, Server: Bad message, Language:
* 2005-08-17 10:35:50.082 (ECommand) Error reading symlink 'js'.
* 2005-08-17 10:35:50.082 Bad message (badly formatted packet or protocol incompatibility).
* 2005-08-17 10:35:50.082 Error code: 5
* 2005-08-17 10:35:50.082 Error message from server: Bad message
* 2005-08-17 10:35:50.082 Request code: 19
< 2005-08-17 10:35:50.082 Status/error code: 1
> 2005-08-17 10:35:50.082 Type: SSH_FXP_CLOSE, Size: 13, Number: 6404
> 2005-08-17 10:35:50.082 04,00,00,19,04,00,00,00,04,00,00,00,00,

I can send complete log file, if necessary.

Other things to consider:

• WinSCP have no problem following the link (hitting Enter while cursor is over symlink navigates me to "../js" correctly).
  
• I tried to copy the "js" symlink itself. Nothing is copied (no new file or directory is created). At least no error message...
  
• I cleared caches (Commands -> Clear Caches) but error remains.
  

Any ideas?

I've just tried older version - 3.7.4 - and the error is same.

Thanks for info. I'll try to check if it is client or server-side bug and eventually fix it.

Thanks for quick reply.

Just another piece of information: server is OpenSSH 3.6.1p2.

I have encountered this problem too, and found this topic. So:
# WinSCP have no problem following the symlink itself
# I tried to copy the symlink itself. Nothing is copied (no new file or directory is created). At least no error message...

I tried with SCP protocol too: it hasn't got this problem ...

I'm using WinSCP 4.0.4 on WinXP, SFTP v3, Norton Commander interface, OpenSSH_4.3p2 on Debian Etch.

Thanks

chros wrote:

# I tried to copy the symlink itself. Nothing is copied (no new file or directory is created). At least no error message...

Can you post a log file showing this?

martin wrote:

Can you post a log file showing this?

Sorry for the delay, I have plenty of work to do ... :(
I'll try it ... :)

So:
with the /log=xxx.txt switch:
. 2007-10-24 13:06:13.449 File: "/home/xxx/torrents/finished/ccc"

with Debug2 option:
. 2007-10-24 13:32:07.004 File: "/home/xxx/torrents/finished/ccc"

/home/xxx/torrents/finished/ccc is a (directory) symlink to
/home/xxx/torrents/data/ccc (is a directory)

With file-symlink the situation is the same ...

So not too much ... :)
I suggest try it for yourself ...

Thank you for investigating the problem ...

OK, you are right, I've already forgot about design decision not to download symlinks to directories. I do not know yet what to do about them.