python / python/cpython

tarfile chokes on reading .tar file with no entries (but does fine if the same file is bzip2'ed)

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3.7 (EOL) stdlib type-bug
Dominant language
Python
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Description

BPO 29760
Nosy @gustaebel, @posita
Files
  • tarfail.tar.bz2: test case with data files
  • tarfile.patch: possible fix
  • Note: these values reflect the state of the issue at the time it was migrated and might not reflect the current state.

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    GitHub fields:

    assignee = None
    closed_at = None
    created_at = <Date 2017-03-08.19:32:09.906>
    labels = ['3.7', 'type-bug', 'library']
    title = "tarfile chokes on reading .tar file with no entries (but does fine if the same file is bzip2'ed)"
    updated_at = <Date 2017-03-10.23:00:48.734>
    user = 'https://github.com/posita'
    

    bugs.python.org fields:

    activity = <Date 2017-03-10.23:00:48.734>
    actor = 'posita'
    assignee = 'none'
    closed = False
    closed_date = None
    closer = None
    components = ['Library (Lib)']
    creation = <Date 2017-03-08.19:32:09.906>
    creator = 'posita'
    dependencies = []
    files = ['46712', '46719']
    hgrepos = []
    issue_num = 29760
    keywords = ['patch']
    message_count = 5.0
    messages = ['289253', '289265', '289408', '289409', '289417']
    nosy_count = 2.0
    nosy_names = ['lars.gustaebel', 'posita']
    pr_nums = []
    priority = 'normal'
    resolution = None
    stage = None
    status = 'open'
    superseder = None
    type = 'behavior'
    url = 'https://bugs.python.org/issue29760'
    versions = ['Python 2.7', 'Python 3.5', 'Python 3.6', 'Python 3.7']
    

    Contributor guide

    Open the contributing guide

    First steps

    1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
    2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
    3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
    4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

    Research direction

    Start by reproducing the failure described for an empty .tar archive and compare it with the attached tarfail.tar.bz2 case. Read the historical tarfile.patch for context, then verify that tarfile handles both archive forms consistently without choking on an archive with no entries.

    Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

    Assessment

    Tech stack
    python
    Domain
    backend
    Issue type
    Bug
    Difficulty
    3/5
    Estimated time
    1-2 days
    Activity status
    Stale
    Clarity
    Mostly clear
    Newbie friendliness
    45/100

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