tramp (2.0.29); erroneous error message: File is a symlink to a nonexistent target

[Jochen_Hayek]

Enter your bug report in this message, including as much detail as you
possibly can about the problem,
what you did to cause it and 
what the local

    i686-pc-linux-gnu (-> SuSE-Linux-8.1)

and remote machines are:

    sparc-sun-solaris2.7 (-> SunOS rsx3233 5.7 Generic_106541-16 sun4u sparc)

If you can give a simple set of instructions to make this bug happen
reliably, please include those.  Thank you for helping kill bugs in
TRAMP.

Another useful thing to do is to put (setq tramp-debug-buffer t) in
the ~/.emacs file and to repeat the bug.  Then, include the contents
of the *tramp/foo* buffer and the *debug tramp/foo* buffer in your bug
report.

--bug report follows this line--

I have this directory listing in dired:

    /address@hidden:/app/lsidsp02/cronusprod:
    total 1040
    [...]
    drwxrwxr-x   3 cronusprod cronus       512 Sep 11  2002 data
    [...]
    lrwxrwxrwx   1 cronusprod cronus        11 Mar 28 11:33 var -> data/idcnae
    lrwxrwxrwx   1 cronusprod cronus        13 Mar 28 11:31 var- -> 
./data/idcnae
    lrwxrwxrwx   1 cronusprod cronus        36 Jul  4  2002 var-- -> 
/app/lsidsp02/cronusprod/data/idcnae

This is a part of the customization buffer for tramp-default-method-alist:

    Tramp Default Method Alist: Hide
    INS DEL List:
                Host regexp: lsidsp02.str.allianz
                User regexp: cronusprod
                Method: ftp

If I try to visit var or var- or var--, I always get this,
and I did not have this problem when using old ftp-ange:

    dired-find-file: File is a symlink to a nonexistent target

If I replace "Method: ftp" by "Method: ssh1", everything is fine,
but it should also be fine with ftp and I prefer this,
as it is incredibly faster (if it works).


Emacs  : GNU Emacs 21.2.1 (i586-suse-linux, X toolkit, Xaw3d scroll bars)
 of 2002-09-11 on amdsimb
Package: tramp (2.0.29)

current state:
==============
(setq
 tramp-ls-command nil
 tramp-test-groks-nt nil
 tramp-file-exists-command nil
 tramp-current-multi-method nil
 tramp-current-method nil
 tramp-current-user nil
 tramp-current-host nil
 tramp-auto-save-directory nil
 tramp-default-method "scp"
 tramp-rsh-end-of-line "\n"
 tramp-password-end-of-line "\n"
 tramp-remote-path '("/app/idsp22/cronus1/usr/local/bin" "/bin" "/usr/bin" 
"/usr/sbin" "/usr/local/bin" "/usr/ccs/bin" "/local/bin" "/local/freeware/bin" 
"/local/gnu/bin"
                     "/usr/freeware/bin" "/usr/pkg/bin" "/usr/contrib/bin")
 tramp-login-prompt-regexp ".*ogin: *"
 tramp-password-prompt-regexp "^.*\\([pP]assword\\|passphrase.*\\):? *"
 tramp-wrong-passwd-regexp "^.*\\(Connection 
\\(?:\\(?:clo\\|refu\\)sed\\)\\|Host key verification failed\\.\\|Login 
\\(?:[Ii]ncorrect\\)\\|Name or service not known\\|\\(?:Permission 
denied\\|Sorry, try again\\)\\.\\).*\\|^.*\\(Received signal [0-9]+\\).*"
 tramp-yesno-prompt-regexp "\\(Are you sure you want to continue connecting 
(yes/no)\\?\\)\\s-*"
 tramp-yn-prompt-regexp "\\(Store key in cache\\? (y/n)\\)\\s-*"
 tramp-temp-name-prefix "tramp."
 tramp-file-name-structure '("^/\\(\\([a-zA-Z_0-9-]+\\):\\)?\\(\\([^:@/         
]*\\)@\\)?\\([a-zA-Z0-9_.#-]*\\):\\(.*$\\)" 2 4 5 6)
 tramp-file-name-regexp "\\`/[^/:]+:"
 tramp-multi-file-name-structure 
'("^/\\(\\([a-zA-Z_0-9-]+\\)\\)?\\(\\(:%s\\)+\\)?:\\(.*$\\)" 2 3 -1)
 tramp-multi-file-name-hop-structure '("\\([a-zA-Z_0-9-]+\\):\\([^:@/   
]*\\)@\\([a-zA-Z0-9_.#-]*\\)" 1 2 3)
 tramp-multi-methods '("multi" "multiu")
 tramp-multi-connection-function-alist '(("telnet" tramp-multi-connect-telnet 
"telnet %h%n") ("rsh" tramp-multi-connect-rlogin "rsh %h -l %u%n")
                                         ("ssh" tramp-multi-connect-rlogin "ssh 
%h -l %u%n") ("su" tramp-multi-connect-su "su - %u%n")
                                         ("sudo" tramp-multi-connect-su "sudo 
-u %u -s%n"))
 tramp-methods '(("smb") ("ftp")
                 ("rcp" (tramp-connection-function tramp-open-connection-rsh) 
(tramp-rsh-program "rsh") (tramp-rcp-program "rcp") (tramp-remote-sh "/bin/sh") 
(tramp-rsh-args nil)
                  (tramp-rcp-args nil) (tramp-rcp-keep-date-arg "-p") 
(tramp-su-program nil) (tramp-su-args nil) (tramp-telnet-program nil) 
(tramp-telnet-args nil))
                 ("scp" (tramp-connection-function tramp-open-connection-rsh) 
(tramp-rsh-program "ssh") (tramp-rcp-program "scp") (tramp-remote-sh "/bin/sh")
                  (tramp-rsh-args ("-e" "none")) (tramp-rcp-args nil) 
(tramp-rcp-keep-date-arg "-p") (tramp-su-program nil) (tramp-su-args nil) 
(tramp-telnet-program nil)
                  (tramp-telnet-args nil))
                 ("scp1" (tramp-connection-function tramp-open-connection-rsh) 
(tramp-rsh-program "ssh") (tramp-rcp-program "scp") (tramp-remote-sh "/bin/sh")
                  (tramp-rsh-args ("-1" "-e" "none")) (tramp-rcp-args ("-1")) 
(tramp-rcp-keep-date-arg "-p") (tramp-su-program nil) (tramp-su-args nil) 
(tramp-telnet-program nil)
                  (tramp-telnet-args nil))
                 ("scp2" (tramp-connection-function tramp-open-connection-rsh) 
(tramp-rsh-program "ssh") (tramp-rcp-program "scp") (tramp-remote-sh "/bin/sh")
                  (tramp-rsh-args ("-2" "-e" "none")) (tramp-rcp-args ("-2")) 
(tramp-rcp-keep-date-arg "-p") (tramp-su-program nil) (tramp-su-args nil) 
(tramp-telnet-program nil)
                  (tramp-telnet-args nil))
                 ("scp1_old" (tramp-connection-function 
tramp-open-connection-rsh) (tramp-rsh-program "ssh1") (tramp-rcp-program 
"scp1") (tramp-remote-sh "/bin/sh")
                  (tramp-rsh-args ("-e" "none")) (tramp-rcp-args nil) 
(tramp-rcp-keep-date-arg "-p") (tramp-su-program nil) (tramp-su-args nil) 
(tramp-telnet-program nil)
                  (tramp-telnet-args nil))
                 ("scp2_old" (tramp-connection-function 
tramp-open-connection-rsh) (tramp-rsh-program "ssh2") (tramp-rcp-program 
"scp2") (tramp-remote-sh "/bin/sh")
                  (tramp-rsh-args ("-e" "none")) (tramp-rcp-args nil) 
(tramp-rcp-keep-date-arg "-p") (tramp-su-program nil) (tramp-su-args nil) 
(tramp-telnet-program nil)
                  (tramp-telnet-args nil))
                 ("rsync" (tramp-connection-function tramp-open-connection-rsh) 
(tramp-rsh-program "ssh") (tramp-rcp-program "rsync") (tramp-remote-sh 
"/bin/sh")
                  (tramp-rsh-args ("-e" "none")) (tramp-rcp-args ("-e" "ssh")) 
(tramp-rcp-keep-date-arg "-t") (tramp-su-program nil) (tramp-su-args nil) 
(tramp-telnet-program nil)
                  (tramp-telnet-args nil))
                 ("rsh" (tramp-connection-function tramp-open-connection-rsh) 
(tramp-rsh-program "rsh") (tramp-rcp-program nil) (tramp-remote-sh "/bin/sh") 
(tramp-rsh-args nil)
                  (tramp-rcp-args nil) (tramp-rcp-keep-date-arg nil) 
(tramp-su-program nil) (tramp-su-args nil) (tramp-telnet-program nil) 
(tramp-telnet-args nil))
                 ("ssh" (tramp-connection-function tramp-open-connection-rsh) 
(tramp-rsh-program "ssh") (tramp-rcp-program nil) (tramp-remote-sh "/bin/sh")
                  (tramp-rsh-args ("-e" "none")) (tramp-rcp-args nil) 
(tramp-rcp-keep-date-arg nil) (tramp-su-program nil) (tramp-su-args nil) 
(tramp-telnet-program nil)
                  (tramp-telnet-args nil))
                 ("ssh1" (tramp-connection-function tramp-open-connection-rsh) 
(tramp-rsh-program "ssh") (tramp-rcp-program nil) (tramp-remote-sh "/bin/sh")
                  (tramp-rsh-args ("-1" "-e" "none")) (tramp-rcp-args ("-1")) 
(tramp-rcp-keep-date-arg nil) (tramp-su-program nil) (tramp-su-args nil) 
(tramp-telnet-program nil)
                  (tramp-telnet-args nil))
                 ("ssh2" (tramp-connection-function tramp-open-connection-rsh) 
(tramp-rsh-program "ssh") (tramp-rcp-program nil) (tramp-remote-sh "/bin/sh")
                  (tramp-rsh-args ("-2" "-e" "none")) (tramp-rcp-args ("-2")) 
(tramp-rcp-keep-date-arg nil) (tramp-su-program nil) (tramp-su-args nil) 
(tramp-telnet-program nil)
                  (tramp-telnet-args nil))
                 ("ssh1_old" (tramp-connection-function 
tramp-open-connection-rsh) (tramp-rsh-program "ssh1") (tramp-rcp-program nil) 
(tramp-remote-sh "/bin/sh")
                  (tramp-rsh-args ("-e" "none")) (tramp-rcp-args nil) 
(tramp-rcp-keep-date-arg nil) (tramp-su-program nil) (tramp-su-args nil) 
(tramp-telnet-program nil)
                  (tramp-telnet-args nil))
                 ("ssh2_old" (tramp-connection-function 
tramp-open-connection-rsh) (tramp-rsh-program "ssh2") (tramp-rcp-program nil) 
(tramp-remote-sh "/bin/sh")
                  (tramp-rsh-args ("-e" "none")) (tramp-rcp-args nil) 
(tramp-rcp-keep-date-arg nil) (tramp-su-program nil) (tramp-su-args nil) 
(tramp-telnet-program nil)
                  (tramp-telnet-args nil))
                 ("telnet" (tramp-connection-function 
tramp-open-connection-telnet) (tramp-rsh-program nil) (tramp-rcp-program nil) 
(tramp-remote-sh "/bin/sh") (tramp-rsh-args nil)
                  (tramp-rcp-args nil) (tramp-rcp-keep-date-arg nil) 
(tramp-su-program nil) (tramp-su-args nil) (tramp-telnet-program "telnet") 
(tramp-telnet-args nil))
                 ("su" (tramp-connection-function tramp-open-connection-su) 
(tramp-rsh-program nil) (tramp-rcp-program nil) (tramp-remote-sh "/bin/sh") 
(tramp-rsh-args nil)
                  (tramp-rcp-args nil) (tramp-rcp-keep-date-arg nil) 
(tramp-su-program "su") (tramp-su-args ("-" "%u")) (tramp-telnet-program nil) 
(tramp-telnet-args nil))
                 ("sudo" (tramp-connection-function tramp-open-connection-su) 
(tramp-rsh-program nil) (tramp-rcp-program nil) (tramp-remote-sh "/bin/sh") 
(tramp-rsh-args nil)
                  (tramp-rcp-args nil) (tramp-rcp-keep-date-arg nil) 
(tramp-su-program "sudo") (tramp-su-args ("-u" "%u" "-s")) 
(tramp-telnet-program nil) (tramp-telnet-args nil))
                 ("multi" (tramp-connection-function 
tramp-open-connection-multi) (tramp-rsh-program nil) (tramp-rcp-program nil) 
(tramp-remote-sh "/bin/sh") (tramp-rsh-args nil)
                  (tramp-rcp-args nil) (tramp-rcp-keep-date-arg nil) 
(tramp-su-program nil) (tramp-su-args nil) (tramp-telnet-program nil) 
(tramp-telnet-args nil))
                 ("scpx" (tramp-connection-function tramp-open-connection-rsh) 
(tramp-rsh-program "ssh") (tramp-rcp-program "scp") (tramp-remote-sh "/bin/sh")
                  (tramp-rsh-args ("-e" "none" "-t" "-t" "/bin/sh")) 
(tramp-rcp-args nil) (tramp-rcp-keep-date-arg "-p") (tramp-telnet-program nil) 
(tramp-telnet-args nil))
                 ("sshx" (tramp-connection-function tramp-open-connection-rsh) 
(tramp-rsh-program "ssh") (tramp-rcp-program nil) (tramp-remote-sh "/bin/sh")
                  (tramp-rsh-args ("-e" "none" "-t" "-t" "/bin/sh")) 
(tramp-rcp-args nil) (tramp-rcp-keep-date-arg nil) (tramp-su-program nil) 
(tramp-su-args nil)
                  (tramp-telnet-program nil) (tramp-telnet-args nil))
                 ("krlogin" (tramp-connection-function 
tramp-open-connection-rsh) (tramp-rsh-program "krlogin") (tramp-rcp-program 
nil) (tramp-remote-sh "/bin/sh")
                  (tramp-rsh-args ("-x")) (tramp-rcp-args nil) 
(tramp-rcp-keep-date-arg nil) (tramp-su-program nil) (tramp-su-args nil) 
(tramp-telnet-program nil)
                  (tramp-telnet-args nil))
                 ("plink" (tramp-connection-function tramp-open-connection-rsh) 
(tramp-rsh-program "plink") (tramp-rcp-program nil) (tramp-remote-sh "/bin/sh")
                  (tramp-rsh-args ("-ssh")) (tramp-rcp-args nil) 
(tramp-rcp-keep-date-arg nil) (tramp-su-program nil) (tramp-su-args nil) 
(tramp-telnet-program nil)
                  (tramp-telnet-args nil))
                 ("pscp" (tramp-connection-function tramp-open-connection-rsh) 
(tramp-rsh-program "plink") (tramp-rcp-program "pscp") (tramp-remote-sh 
"/bin/sh")
                  (tramp-rsh-args ("-ssh")) (tramp-rcp-args nil) 
(tramp-rcp-keep-date-arg "-p") (tramp-su-program nil) (tramp-su-args nil) 
(tramp-telnet-program nil)
                  (tramp-telnet-args nil))
                 ("fcp" (tramp-connection-function tramp-open-connection-rsh) 
(tramp-rsh-program "fsh") (tramp-rcp-program "fcp") (tramp-remote-sh "/bin/sh 
-i")
                  (tramp-rsh-args ("sh" "-i")) (tramp-rcp-args nil) 
(tramp-rcp-keep-date-arg "-p") (tramp-su-program nil) (tramp-su-args nil) 
(tramp-telnet-program nil)
                  (tramp-telnet-args nil))
                 )
 tramp-end-of-output "///ae4f3062075f945e2efb9835b1b39af9"
 tramp-coding-commands '(("mimencode -b" "mimencode -u -b" base64-encode-region 
base64-decode-region) ("mmencode -b" "mmencode -u -b" base64-encode-region 
base64-decode-region)
                         ("recode data..base64" "recode base64..data" 
base64-encode-region base64-decode-region)
                         ("uuencode xxx" "uudecode -o -" tramp-uuencode-region 
uudecode-decode-region) ("uuencode xxx" "uudecode -p" tramp-uuencode-region 
uudecode-decode-region)
                         ("uuencode xxx" "tramp_uudecode" tramp-uuencode-region 
uudecode-decode-region)
                         ("tramp_encode_with_module" "tramp_decode_with_module" 
base64-encode-region base64-decode-region)
                         ("tramp_encode" "tramp_decode" base64-encode-region 
base64-decode-region))
 tramp-actions-before-shell '((tramp-password-prompt-regexp 
tramp-action-password) (tramp-login-prompt-regexp tramp-action-login) 
(shell-prompt-pattern tramp-action-succeed)
                              (tramp-shell-prompt-pattern tramp-action-succeed) 
(tramp-wrong-passwd-regexp tramp-action-permission-denied)
                              (tramp-yesno-prompt-regexp tramp-action-yesno) 
(tramp-yn-prompt-regexp tramp-action-yn) (tramp-terminal-prompt-regexp 
tramp-action-terminal))
 tramp-multi-actions '((tramp-password-prompt-regexp 
tramp-multi-action-password) (tramp-login-prompt-regexp 
tramp-multi-action-login)
                       (shell-prompt-pattern tramp-multi-action-succeed) 
(tramp-shell-prompt-pattern tramp-multi-action-succeed)
                       (tramp-wrong-passwd-regexp 
tramp-multi-action-permission-denied))
 tramp-terminal-type "dumb"
 tramp-shell-prompt-pattern "^[^#$%>\n]*[#$%>] *"
 shell-prompt-pattern "^[^#$%>\n]*[#$%>] *"
 backup-by-copying nil
 backup-by-copying-when-linked nil
 backup-by-copying-when-mismatch nil
 backup-by-copying-when-privileged-mismatch 200
 file-name-handler-alist '(("^/[^/]*$" . tramp-completion-file-name-handler) 
("\\`/[^/:]+:" . tramp-file-name-handler) ("\\`/:" . file-name-non-special))
 )