Comment 83 for bug 344878

An explanation is in order for why this was marked fixed released in the Precise kernel.

This has been a long standing bug that is due to the design of encrypted filenames in eCryptfs. It is very difficult, if not impossible, to come up with a new design for encrypted filenames that doesn't have other side effects.

It was pointed out that there is an interface for userspace applications to query the max filename length of a mounted filesystem. The length that eCryptfs was providing was incorrect and if an application tried to create a filename of that length, then the error reported here was seen. In other words, applications had no idea what length of filenames they could use on eCryptfs filesystems.

A patch now exists in the Precise kernel that reports the correct max filename length of eCryptfs. If still try to create too long of filenames, that likely means that they aren't querying for the max filename length or that their filenames cannot be shortened.

So, if you still see these errors in the Precise kernel, please leave a comment in this bug about the application that triggered it. We'll see if the application can create shorter filenames. If the majority of affected applications cannot create shorter filenames, then we'll have to revisit fixing this in eCryptfs.

Thanks!