openssh unix dev - Aug 2009 - scp: wrong error message

Hi,

I'm using scp from openssh-5.1p1 on opensuse 11.1.

trying to copy a file to a nonexisting directory with scp gives the wrong error
message:

       harald > scp /etc/passwd remote:nodir/
       scp: nodir/: Is a directory

       harald > ssh remote ls -ld nodir 
       ls: cannot access nodir: No such file or directory


IMHO the error message should read e.g. "directory does not exist" and
not "is a directory".

Harald Koenig
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> I'm using scp from openssh-5.1p1 on opensuse 11.1.
> 
> trying to copy a file to a nonexisting directory with scp gives the
> wrong error message:
> 
>        harald > scp /etc/passwd remote:nodir/
>        scp: nodir/: Is a directory
> 
>        harald > ssh remote ls -ld nodir
>        ls: cannot access nodir: No such file or directory
> 
> 
> IMHO the error message should read e.g. "directory does not
exist" and
> not "is a directory".
> 
I suspect that the host is generating EISDIR (cygwin generates that for
a local copy like that).
As such, I wouldn't think it's wise for sshd to put special handling in
there for this case.