file returns "name use count (30) exceeded"

[Suzanka]

In Ubuntu 17.04 there seems to be a problem with "file":

$ file test.jpg
test.jpg: ERROR: JPEG image data, JFIF standard 1.01, resolution (DPI), density 240x240, segment length 16, Exif Standard: [TIFF image data, big-endian, direntries=8, description=Picture saved with settings embedded., orientation=upper-left, xresolution=148, yresolution=156, resolutionunit=2, software=Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 6.1.1 (Windows), datetime=2017:08:17 11:16:47] name use count (30) exceeded

This problem was reported in Fedora a couple of years ago:
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1201630

I found out about the problem when the Astrometry program suddenly stopped working on jpegs that it was previously able to process. I cannot say how "file" is supposed to normally output the data. I only found out about this when the program suddenly broke without any obvious reason after the upgrade from Ubuntu 16.04 to 17.04. Since there is another case reported for Fedora I tend to believe that the problem is indeed caused by "file".

The required data:

$ lsb_release -rd
Description: Ubuntu 17.04
Release: 17.04

$ apt-cache policy file
file:
  Installed: 1:5.29-3ubuntu0.1
  Candidate: 1:5.29-3ubuntu0.1
  Version table:
 *** 1:5.29-3ubuntu0.1 500
        500 http://fi.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu zesty-updates/main amd64 Packages
        500 http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu zesty-security/main amd64 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     1:5.29-3 500
        500 http://fi.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu zesty/main amd64 Packages

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 17.04
Package: file 1:5.29-3ubuntu0.1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.10.0-33.37-generic 4.10.17
Uname: Linux 4.10.0-33-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: sep4_0 socperf2_0 pax
ApportVersion: 2.20.4-0ubuntu4.5
Architecture: amd64
CurrentDesktop: Unity:Unity7
Date: Mon Sep 18 20:36:35 2017
InstallationDate: Installed on 2016-01-18 (609 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 15.10 "Wily Werewolf" - Release amd64 (20151021)
SourcePackage: file
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[Suzanka (suzankabet)]

The file test.jpg that I used is attached. The problem occurs with other jpeg images, too.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[Eli Collins (eli.collins)]

Testing on various systems, I'm seeing this on Debian Stretch using file version 1:5.30-1+deb9u1.

But not on older ubuntu version like file 1:5.25-2ubuntu1.

(Both tested using above test.jpg)

[dino99 (9d9)]

That version is now dead
http://news.softpedia.com/news/ubuntu-17-04-zesty-zapus-has-reached-end-of-life-upgrade-to-ubuntu-17-10-now-519360.shtml

please report, if needed, from a supported version.

[Paul Wise (Debian) (pabs)]

FTR this was fixed upstream by bumping the default name recursion level from 30 to 50:

https://bugs.astron.com/view.php?id=152

 status fixcommitted