Samba share problem: filenames with colon

jvjlu · February 15, 2018 at 5:35 PM

Is there a way to get samba to accept colon (:) in filenames. Now all files with colons in their names are shown in (client) listing but cannot be played. They are also shown zero length in the clients (kodi)listing. My server is RPi with Libreelec 7.9 and client Amlogic S905 with 8.90.4.

It was said somewhere else that option 'mangled names = no' should cure this, but this seems to be already in the [global] of /etc/smb.conf.

**mglae** · February 15, 2018 at 11:19 PM

Unfortunately not. Invalid Windows filename chars like colon are not allowed over SMB.

**chewitt** · February 15, 2018 at 11:54 PM Official Post

The mangled names function in Samba was deprecated aeons ago so it's not the solution. You have two choices:

a) Investigate the "catia" vfs module which can map the illegal : character into something legal

b) Rename files so they don't use the illegal : character

**Jocke.Sve** · February 16, 2018 at 10:38 AM

I had similar issues few years back and ended up renaming all movie/foldernames containing ": " to " - ".

No issues with scraper(s) this far and KODI works just fine.

Schreibwaise · February 16, 2018 at 10:45 AM

Quote from chewitt

The mangled names function in Samba was deprecated aeons ago so it's not the solution. You have two choices:

a) Investigate the "catia" vfs module which can map the illegal : character into something legal

b) Rename files so they don't use the illegal : character

c) Use NFS instead of samba which does not have this limitation

jvjlu · February 16, 2018 at 1:22 PM

Quote from Schreibwaise

c) Use NFS instead of samba which does not have this limitation

I have thought that NFS-server is not (and can not easily be) enabled in Libreelec?

I solved the problem by mounting the remote filesystem with sshfs (Network Tools addon).

Schreibwaise · February 16, 2018 at 1:47 PM

Quote from jvjlu

I have thought that NFS-server is not (and can not easily be) enabled in Libreelec?

I solved the problem by mounting the remote filesystem with sshfs (Network Tools addon).

Ahh, I thought that libreELEC is the client.

It is a shame that libreELEC (linux based) is missing the tiny NFS server but provides the much bigger samba stuff.

jvjlu · February 17, 2018 at 2:33 PM

As Samba has these limitations and NFS is not an option in Libreelec-only household, could the sshfs option be added to the wiki-section "Mounting network shares"? That is:

- install Network tool addon in client,

-ssh to to the client

-"mkdir /storage/recordings" (or whatever) in client.

-make keys in client with "ssh-keygen"

-add the key in clients /storage/.ssh/id_rsa.pub to the servers (here 192.168.1.222)

/storage/.ssh/authorized_keys

-test the passwd:less connection with "ssh root@192.168.1.222" (in client)

-in client make (or add to) /storage/.config/autostart.sh with

Bash

#!/bin/sh
(sleep 5; \
  sshfs root@192.168.1.222:/recordings /storage/recordings; \
)&

**chewitt** · February 18, 2018 at 9:46 PM Official Post

Login to the Pi (server) and learn how to use the 'sed' command to bulk rename files. Job done.

jvjlu · February 19, 2018 at 8:53 AM

Quote from chewitt

Login to the Pi (server) and learn how to use the 'sed' command to bulk rename files. Job done.

Yes, I might be able to do that. But the files with colons keep coming from various of sources. So it would have to be automated somehow. And I'm not sure if every Libreelec user is ready, able and willing to do that. That's why I suggested an alternative solution (mount with sshfs). You don't think it is a good idea to add that to wiki?

**escalade** · February 19, 2018 at 10:15 AM

I don't think I ever saw colons in a filename actually and I've been a geek all my life

You have of coursed tried mapping the character like a simple google search shows: samba how to display files with colon in their names? - Unix & Linux Stack Exchange

?

jvjlu · February 20, 2018 at 5:21 AM

Quote from escalade

I don't think I ever saw colons in a filename actually and I've been a geek all my life

I jus counted:

Code

>ls | wc -l
179
>ls | grep : | wc -l
156

So 87% of my (video)files has colon in their name. These are mainly Tvheadend recordings and downloaded mp4:s from our national tv-company.

**HiassofT** · February 20, 2018 at 12:49 PM

You can avoid colons in filenames by selecting advanced or expert level in Tvheadend, then going to Configuration -> Recording and tick "Use Windows-compatible filenames" in the recording profile.

so long,

Hias