ML data that does not decrypt is recorded with its reason (closes #198)

`fetchMLDataBatch` dropped an entry that did not decrypt, gunzip or parse,
so the file looked like one with no ML data and the run exited 0. It now
returns the reason beside the payloads. The library keeps the reasons from
its last ML data fetch in memory only and gives them in
`status().mlDataErrors` and the `fetchMLData` "done" event. `quak backup`
writes the reason as `mlDataError` for a file with no ML data cached and
records the file in `failures.json` as `ML data: REASON`. `backup-metadata`
writes `mlDataError` for it and exits 1; `runMetadataBackup` now returns how
many files have `mlDataError`.

Judgement call: a file whose ML data is cached keeps it in its JSON when a
newer copy does not decode, as when the fetch fails.

Model: opus-5-5

README.md

@@ -134,12 +134,12 @@ matters.
 
 ### Exit codes
 
-| Code | Meaning                                                                                                                                                                           |
+| Code | Meaning                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
-| ---- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
+| ---- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
-| `0`  | The backup is complete: every original is at its save path, and no file failed.                                                                                                   |
+| `0`  | The backup is complete: every original is at its save path, and no file failed.                                                                                                                                |
-| `1`  | The run finished with files in `failures.json` or an album it could not decrypt, or it stopped on another error, printed as one line `quak: <message>`. The next run tries again. |
+| `1`  | The run finished with files in `failures.json` or albums it could not decrypt or write (see "Backup layout"), or it stopped on another error, printed as one line `quak: <message>`. The next run tries again. |
-| `2`  | Another backup of the same directory is running. This run sent no request and changed nothing.                                                                                    |
+| `2`  | Another backup of the same directory is running. This run sent no request and changed nothing.                                                                                                                 |
-| `3`  | There is no usable session: none is saved, the saved one is corrupt, or the server no longer accepts it. Run `quak login` as the user the cron job runs as.                       |
+| `3`  | There is no usable session: none is saved, the saved one is corrupt, or the server no longer accepts it. Run `quak login` as the user the cron job runs as.                                                    |
 
 `<message>` is the error's message, followed by the message of each error that
 caused it. Under Node, as `yarn quak` runs quak, `fetch` reports every failure
@@ -697,8 +697,10 @@ into `failures.json` (see "Backup layout").
 
 `backup-metadata` fetches ML data in requests of up to 200 files. When a request
 fails, the error is logged, each of its files is written with the reason in an
-`mlDataError` field instead of `mlData`, and the dump goes on. The exit code is
+`mlDataError` field instead of `mlData`, and the dump goes on. A file whose ML
-non-zero if any ML data request failed.
+data does not decrypt, gunzip or parse is logged and written the same way, with
+why in `mlDataError`. The exit code is non-zero if any file was written with
+`mlDataError`.
 
 `helper fix-missing-thumbnails` regenerates thumbnails for JPEG images only,
 because the bundled decoder (`jpeg-js`) decodes only JPEG. A non-JPEG image
@@ -763,8 +765,12 @@ A file's JSON holds Ente's ML data for it (its faces and its CLIP embedding) as
 for has no `mlData`. The backup waits for the library's ML data fetch to finish
 before it writes the JSON files. If that fetch fails, each file whose ML data is
 not in the cache gets the reason in `mlDataError` instead and counts as failed,
-and the next run fetches it again. The JSON files are rewritten on every run, so
+and the next run fetches it again. The same goes for a file with no ML data in
-ML data that arrived since the last run appears.
+the cache whose ML data the server sent but quak could not decrypt, gunzip or
+parse. Its `mlDataError` says why, and `failures.json` records it with an error
+starting `ML data: `. quak keeps that reason in memory only and caches nothing
+for the file, so the next run asks for its ML data again. The JSON files are
+rewritten on every run, so ML data that arrived since the last run appears.
 
 A file's JSON holds, as `imageMetadata`, what `backup-metadata --exif` records
 from its original, or from a live photo's image: `format`, `width` and `height`
@@ -827,8 +833,23 @@ after the file's title, both with unsafe characters replaced. When two
 collections would get the same name, or two symlinks in one collection the same
 name (ignoring case in both), each of them gets its ID added: two albums named
 `Trip` become `Trip (10)/` and `Trip (11)/`, and two files titled `IMG_0001.JPG`
-become `IMG_0001 (12345).JPG` and `IMG_0001 (12346).JPG`. IDs never change, so a
+become `IMG_0001 (12345).JPG` and `IMG_0001 (12346).JPG`. A collection whose
-name stays the same from run to run until such a clash appears or goes away.
+directory would have the name of another collection's JSON, again ignoring case,
+gets its ID added as well: beside an album `x`, whose JSON is `x.json`, an album
+named `x.json` gets the directory `x.json (12)/`. A name too long for a file
+name, which most file systems limit to 255 bytes, gets its ID added too. A name
+with its ID added is cut short between two characters in the part before the ID,
+just far enough that it fits. When a symlink's extension alone leaves no room
+for the ID, the extension is cut short and the part before the ID keeps only the
+bytes that cut leaves over. A collection's directory name also leaves room for
+the `.json` its JSON adds. IDs never change, so a name stays the same from run
+to run until such a clash appears or goes away.
+
+A collection whose directory or JSON cannot be written, such as one whose
+directory name is taken by a file you put in `collections/`, does not stop the
+run. A run without `--json` prints `FAILED album <name>: <reason>` for it,
+`--json` and the `BackupResult` list its ID in `failedAlbums`, and the exit code
+is 1. The other collections and `failures.json` are still written.
 
 A live photo, which Ente stores as one ZIP of its image and its video, is stored
 as those two files, which a photo viewer can open: each is
@@ -963,6 +984,12 @@ resolves once that refresh (including its cache write), the ML data fetch and
 the precache fetches already running have all finished, so the cache directory
 can then be removed.
 
+`lib.status().mlDataErrors` lists, as `{ fileID, error }`, each file whose ML
+data the last ML data fetch got but could not decrypt, gunzip or parse; the
+`fetchMLData` event with status `"done"` carries the same list. Such ML data is
+not cached, so the next ML data fetch asks for it again. The reasons are kept in
+memory only, never in the cache.
+
 ### Default reads vs. fresh reads
 
 Default reads — `lib.albums`, `lib.photos`, `lib.timeline` — answer
@@ -1122,9 +1149,10 @@ photos newest first). `lib.subscribe({ onChange })` delivers a `LibraryChange`
   `downloadDirectory` (falls back to the library's), `includeOriginals` (default
   `true`), `includeThumbnails` (default `false`), `onlyAlbumNames`, `verify`
   (default `false`), `onProgress`, and `lock`. See Backup layout above for the
-  tree it writes. Whether the backup took the lock or its caller did, once the
+  tree it writes, and for the albums `BackupResult` lists in
-  lock is lost the backup rejects with `lost the lock on <dir>: <reason>` before
+  `undecryptableAlbums` and `failedAlbums`. Whether the backup took the lock or
-  it starts another file.
+  its caller did, once the lock is lost the backup rejects with
+  `lost the lock on <dir>: <reason>` before it starts another file.
 
 ### Request pools
 

TODO.md

@@ -17,9 +17,7 @@ pre-1.0
 
 # Next Step
 
-Four bugs are open: https://git.eeqj.de/sneak/quak/issues/197,
+Two bugs are open: https://git.eeqj.de/sneak/quak/issues/199 and
-https://git.eeqj.de/sneak/quak/issues/198,
-https://git.eeqj.de/sneak/quak/issues/199 and
 https://git.eeqj.de/sneak/quak/issues/205. The check of quak against a live Ente
 account, https://git.eeqj.de/sneak/quak/issues/187, needs an account only sneak
 has, so it waits on him.
@@ -29,6 +27,16 @@ declares one.
 
 # Completed Steps
 
+- 2026-10-16: ML data the server sends that does not decrypt, gunzip or parse is
+  no longer taken for no ML data (issue 198). `fetchMLDataBatch` returns why for
+  each such file beside the payloads. The library keeps those reasons from its
+  last ML data fetch in memory, not in the cache, and gives them in
+  `status().mlDataErrors` and in the `fetchMLData` event with status `"done"`.
+  `quak backup` writes the reason as `mlDataError` in the file's JSON when no ML
+  data is cached for it, and records the file in `failures.json` with an error
+  starting `ML data: `; `backup-metadata` writes `mlDataError` too. Both exit 1.
+  Tests serve ML data encrypted under a key that is not the file's.
+
 - 2026-10-16: The `~/bin/quak` that `make install` builds retries a refused
   connection and a name that does not resolve, and the backup records either as
   transient (issue 206). Bun's `fetch` reports them with codes of its own,
@@ -42,6 +50,15 @@ declares one.
   `unknown`. The shapes were found by running the binary against local
   listeners.
 
+- 2026-10-15: An album whose folder or JSON `quak backup` cannot write no longer
+  ends the run before the other albums and `failures.json` are written (issue
+  197). The run prints `FAILED album <name>: <reason>`, lists the album's ID in
+  `failedAlbums` in the result and in `--json`, goes on, and exits 1. An album
+  whose folder would have the name of another album's JSON, as `x.json` beside
+  `x` would, gets its ID added. A folder or link name over 255 bytes is cut
+  short between two characters, by `shortenToBytes` in `src/filename.ts`, and
+  gets the ID.
+
 - 2026-10-15: A network failure is printed and recorded with its reason, not as
   just `fetch failed` (issue 196). `describeError` in `src/errors.ts` gives an
   error's message followed by the message of each error on its `cause` chain,

src/backup.ts

@@ -50,7 +50,9 @@
 // running attempt count, and the last-tried time, and the run continues.
 // A file the library could not decrypt is recorded there too, unless a copy of
 // it in another album decrypted; an album it could not decrypt is logged by ID
-// and listed in `result.undecryptableAlbums`, as its name is not known.
+// and listed in `result.undecryptableAlbums`, as its name is not known. An
+// album whose folder or JSON cannot be written is logged by name and
+// listed in `result.failedAlbums`, and the run goes on to the next album.
 // `result.failed` — and thus the CLI's exit code — stays non-zero while any
 // failure remains unresolved and clears once every one succeeds. Each run
 // reconciles the ledger against the files it attempted, so an entry for a file
@@ -83,7 +85,12 @@ import {
 } from "./crypto/index.js";
 import { removeLeftoverTempFiles } from "./download/index.js";
 import { describeError } from "./errors.js";
-import { sanitizeFileName, withExtension } from "./filename.js";
+import {
+    MAX_NAME_BYTES,
+    sanitizeFileName,
+    shortenToBytes,
+    withExtension,
+} from "./filename.js";
 import {
     copyAtomic,
     placeOriginal,
@@ -160,6 +167,9 @@ export interface BackupResult {
     // The IDs of the albums the library could not decrypt, whose files it
     // could not list; the CLI exits non-zero while there are any.
     undecryptableAlbums: number[];
+    // The IDs of the albums whose folder or JSON this run could not write;
+    // the CLI exits non-zero while there are any.
+    failedAlbums: number[];
 }
 
 // The slice of the library that backup drives. `Library` implements it; a test
@@ -193,6 +203,9 @@ export interface BackupLibrary {
     // A file's cached ML data, as `lib.mldata.forFile()` returns it, or
     // undefined when none is cached.
     mlData(fileID: number): Promise<MLData | undefined>;
+    // Why the ML data the last ML data fetch got for a file did not decrypt,
+    // gunzip or parse, or undefined when it did or the fetch got none.
+    mlDataError(fileID: number): unknown;
 }
 
 type FailureClass = "transient" | "permanent" | "unknown";
@@ -267,31 +280,47 @@ const rebuildSymlink = (linkPath: string, target: string): void => {
 // The on-disk names for the entries of one directory, in entry order. Each
 // name is used as is unless another entry would get the same name, ignoring
 // case (two names that differ only in case are one entry on a case-insensitive
-// file system); then every entry sharing it gets ` (<id>)`, before the
+// file system), or it is too long for a file name; then it gets ` (<id>)`,
-// extension when `beforeExtension` is set. A name with an ID added can match
+// right before the extension when `beforeExtension` is set. To fit, the part
-// another entry's own name (`IMG (6).JPG`), so this repeats until no name is
+// before the ID is cut short as far as it must be. When the extension alone
-// shared. IDs are stable, so the names are too.
+// leaves no room for the ID, the extension is cut short and the part before
+// the ID keeps only the bytes that cut leaves over. With `withJSON`, each
+// entry also has the JSON file `<name>.json` beside it, as an album does: a
+// name then leaves room for `.json`, and one that is another entry's JSON name
+// gets its ID added too.
+// Two names with different IDs added never match, but one can match another
+// entry's own name (`IMG (6).JPG`), so this repeats until no name is shared.
+// IDs are stable, so the names are too.
 const uniqueNames = (
     entries: { id: number; name: string }[],
-    beforeExtension: boolean,
+    opts: { beforeExtension?: boolean; withJSON?: boolean },
 ): string[] => {
+    const maxBytes = MAX_NAME_BYTES - (opts.withJSON ? ".json".length : 0);
     const withID = (id: number, name: string): string => {
-        const ext = beforeExtension ? extname(name) : "";
+        const tag = ` (${id})`;
-        const stem = name.slice(0, name.length - ext.length);
+        const fullExt = opts.beforeExtension ? extname(name) : "";
-        return `${stem} (${id})${ext}`;
+        const stem = name.slice(0, name.length - fullExt.length);
+        const ext = shortenToBytes(fullExt, maxBytes - Buffer.byteLength(tag));
+        const room = maxBytes - Buffer.byteLength(tag + ext);
+        return shortenToBytes(stem, room) + tag + ext;
     };
     const names = entries.map((e) => e.name);
     const suffixed = new Set<number>();
     for (;;) {
         const counts = new Map<string, number>();
-        for (const name of names) {
+        const count = (name: string): void => {
             const key = name.toLowerCase();
             counts.set(key, (counts.get(key) ?? 0) + 1);
+        };
+        for (const name of names) {
+            count(name);
+            if (opts.withJSON) count(`${name}.json`);
         }
         let changed = false;
         for (const [i, { id, name }] of entries.entries()) {
             if (suffixed.has(i)) continue;
-            if (counts.get(name.toLowerCase()) === 1) continue;
+            const fits = Buffer.byteLength(name) <= maxBytes;
+            if (fits && counts.get(name.toLowerCase()) === 1) continue;
             names[i] = withID(id, name);
             suffixed.add(i);
             changed = true;
@@ -787,19 +816,18 @@ const runLockedBackup = async (
     // Phase 2: rebuild the derived views from the model. Sidecars first, for
     // every present original (this repairs stale ones), each with the file's
     // ML data once an ML data fetch has completed, and its image metadata.
-    // When the fetch fails, a file with no cached ML data gets the reason
+    // When the fetch got a file's ML data but could not decrypt, gunzip or
-    // instead and is recorded as failed. The next run fetches its ML data
+    // parse it, or when the fetch failed, a file with no cached ML data gets
-    // again because none is cached.
+    // the reason instead and is recorded as failed. The next run fetches its
+    // ML data again because none is cached.
     if (includeOriginals) {
         let mlDataFailure: unknown;
-        let mlDataError: string | undefined;
         try {
             log("Fetching ML data...");
             await lib.fetchMLData();
         } catch (err) {
             mlDataFailure = err;
-            mlDataError = describeError(err);
+            log(`FAILED ML data: ${describeError(err)}`);
-            log(`FAILED ML data: ${mlDataError}`);
         }
         for (const file of distinct.values()) {
             if (lock.lost) throw lock.lost;
@@ -816,13 +844,19 @@ const runLockedBackup = async (
                 storedThisRun.has(file.id),
             );
             const mlData = await lib.mlData(file.id);
-            if (mlData === undefined && mlDataError !== undefined) {
+            const failure = lib.mlDataError(file.id) ?? mlDataFailure;
-                writeSidecar(path, file, { mlDataError }, image);
+            if (mlData === undefined && failure !== undefined) {
+                writeSidecar(
+                    path,
+                    file,
+                    { mlDataError: describeError(failure) },
+                    image,
+                );
                 recordFailure(
                     file.id,
                     file.metadata.title,
                     collectionName.get(file.collectionID) ?? "",
-                    new Error("ML data", { cause: mlDataFailure }),
+                    new Error("ML data", { cause: failure }),
                 );
             } else {
                 writeSidecar(path, file, { mlData }, image);
@@ -841,7 +875,7 @@ const runLockedBackup = async (
             id: c.id,
             name: sanitizeFileName(c.name, `collection-${c.id}`),
         })),
-        false,
+        { withJSON: true },
     );
     const albumDirNames = new Map(
         allCollections.map((c, i) => [c.id, dirNames[i]!]),
@@ -857,60 +891,69 @@ const runLockedBackup = async (
         log(`FAILED removing old album directories: ${describeError(err)}`);
     }
 
+    // An album whose folder or JSON cannot be written, such as one whose
+    // folder name is taken by a file the user put there, is logged and listed
+    // in the result, and the run goes on to the next album.
+    const failedAlbums: number[] = [];
     for (const c of collections) {
         if (lock.lost) throw lock.lost;
-        const colDirName = albumDirNames.get(c.id)!;
-        const colDir = join(collectionsDir, colDirName);
-        mkdirSync(colDir, { recursive: true });
-
-        // Every album links the one original, saved from the file's entry in
-        // `distinct`.
-        const files = filesByCollection.get(c.id) ?? [];
-        const links = files.flatMap((f) =>
-            linksFor(
-                f,
-                storedAtSavePath(downloadDirectory, distinct.get(f.id)!),
-            ),
-        );
-        const linkNames = uniqueNames(links, true);
         try {
-            removeStaleLinks(colDir, new Set(linkNames), downloadDirectory);
+            const colDirName = albumDirNames.get(c.id)!;
-        } catch (err) {
+            const colDir = join(collectionsDir, colDirName);
-            log(
+            mkdirSync(colDir, { recursive: true });
-                `FAILED removing old links in ${c.name}: ${describeError(err)}`,
-            );
-        }
 
-        const metaFiles = files.map((f) => ({
+            // Every album links the one original, saved from the file's entry
-            id: f.id,
+            // in `distinct`.
-            metadata: f.metadata,
+            const files = filesByCollection.get(c.id) ?? [];
-        }));
+            const links = files.flatMap((f) =>
-        for (const [i, link] of links.entries()) {
+                linksFor(
-            if (!includeOriginals || link.target === undefined) continue;
+                    f,
-            const linkName = linkNames[i]!;
+                    storedAtSavePath(downloadDirectory, distinct.get(f.id)!),
+                ),
+            );
+            const linkNames = uniqueNames(links, { beforeExtension: true });
             try {
-                rebuildSymlink(
+                removeStaleLinks(colDir, new Set(linkNames), downloadDirectory);
-                    join(colDir, linkName),
-                    relative(colDir, link.target),
-                );
             } catch (err) {
                 log(
-                    `FAILED symlink ${c.name}/${linkName}: ${describeError(err)}`,
+                    `FAILED removing old links in ${c.name}: ${describeError(err)}`,
-                );
-                recordFailure(
-                    link.file.id,
-                    link.file.metadata.title,
-                    c.name,
-                    err,
                 );
             }
-        }
 
-        writeAlbumJSON(
+            const metaFiles = files.map((f) => ({
-            join(collectionsDir, `${colDirName}.json`),
+                id: f.id,
-            c,
+                metadata: f.metadata,
-            metaFiles,
+            }));
-        );
+            for (const [i, link] of links.entries()) {
+                if (!includeOriginals || link.target === undefined) continue;
+                const linkName = linkNames[i]!;
+                try {
+                    rebuildSymlink(
+                        join(colDir, linkName),
+                        relative(colDir, link.target),
+                    );
+                } catch (err) {
+                    log(
+                        `FAILED symlink ${c.name}/${linkName}: ${describeError(err)}`,
+                    );
+                    recordFailure(
+                        link.file.id,
+                        link.file.metadata.title,
+                        c.name,
+                        err,
+                    );
+                }
+            }
+
+            writeAlbumJSON(
+                join(collectionsDir, `${colDirName}.json`),
+                c,
+                metaFiles,
+            );
+        } catch (err) {
+            log(`FAILED album ${c.name}: ${describeError(err)}`);
+            failedAlbums.push(c.id);
+        }
     }
 
     // Reconcile the ledger against what this run actually attempted: an entry
@@ -936,6 +979,7 @@ const runLockedBackup = async (
         failed: ledger.size,
         errors,
         undecryptableAlbums,
+        failedAlbums,
     };
 };
 

src/cli-commands.ts

@@ -394,11 +394,11 @@ export const backupMetadataCommand = async (
         // Refresh first so the dump holds current account state, not what the
         // cache last held; a failed refresh throws.
         await lib.fresh();
-        const { failedMLBatches } = await runMetadataBackup(lib, client, dir, {
+        const { mlDataErrors } = await runMetadataBackup(lib, client, dir, {
             exif: opts.exif || opts.all,
             onProgress: (msg) => ctx.stderr.write(msg + "\n"),
         });
-        return failedMLBatches > 0 ? 1 : 0;
+        return mlDataErrors > 0 ? 1 : 0;
     } finally {
         await lib.close();
     }
@@ -470,7 +470,9 @@ export const backupCommand = async (
                 }
             }
 
-            return result.failed > 0 || result.undecryptableAlbums.length > 0
+            return result.failed > 0 ||
+                result.undecryptableAlbums.length > 0 ||
+                result.failedAlbums.length > 0
                 ? 1
                 : 0;
         } finally {

src/client.ts

@@ -373,13 +373,17 @@ export class Client {
     }
 
     // Fetch machine-learning data (face detections + CLIP embeddings) for up
-    // to a batch of files, each decrypted with its own key. One request; the
+    // to a batch of files, each decrypted with its own key, and for each file
-    // library batches at `MLDATA_BATCH_SIZE` and schedules each batch through
+    // whose ML data did not decrypt, gunzip or parse, why not. One request;
-    // its metadata request pool.
+    // the library batches at `MLDATA_BATCH_SIZE` and schedules each batch
+    // through its metadata request pool.
     async fetchMLData(args: {
         fileIDs: number[];
         fileKeys: Map<number, Uint8Array>;
-    }): Promise<Map<number, MLData>> {
+    }): Promise<{
+        payloads: Map<number, MLData>;
+        errors: Map<number, unknown>;
+    }> {
         this.assertLoggedIn();
         return fetchMLDataBatch(this.api, args.fileIDs, args.fileKeys);
     }

src/filename.ts

@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@
 // hands us, and quak does not trust the server. Any name taken from them and
 // used on disk goes through here, so it can only ever name one file inside the
 // directory the caller chose: never a path, never `..`, never hidden, never a
-// Windows device name.
+// Windows device name. Such a name can still be too long for a file name, and
+// `shortenToBytes` cuts one short.
 //
 // A path the user typed (`--out`, `outPath`) is not passed through here: the
 // caller is trusted, the server is not.
@@ -39,3 +40,20 @@ export const safeExtension = (title: string): string => {
 // `name` with its extension, if it has one, replaced by `ext` (".mov").
 export const withExtension = (name: string, ext: string): string =>
     name.slice(0, name.length - extname(name).length) + ext;
+
+// The longest file name, in bytes, that ext4 and most other file systems allow.
+export const MAX_NAME_BYTES = 255;
+
+// `name` cut short to at most `maxBytes` bytes of UTF-8, the encoding a file
+// name is written to disk in, between two characters, never inside one. A name
+// that fits comes back unchanged.
+export const shortenToBytes = (name: string, maxBytes: number): string => {
+    let bytes = 0;
+    let end = 0;
+    for (const character of name) {
+        bytes += Buffer.byteLength(character);
+        if (bytes > maxBytes) break;
+        end += character.length;
+    }
+    return name.slice(0, end);
+};

src/library/index.ts

@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@ export {
 } from "./content.js";
 export { type MLDataAPI, type SimilarResult } from "./mlsearch.js";
 import type { CollectionsPage, FilesPage } from "../client.js";
+import { describeError } from "../errors.js";
 import { MLDATA_BATCH_SIZE, type MLData } from "../mldata-fetch.js";
 import type { Collection, EnteFile } from "../model/types.js";
 import { runBackup, type BackupOptions, type BackupResult } from "../backup.js";
@@ -138,12 +139,16 @@ export interface LibraryClient {
         sinceTime: number;
     }): Promise<FilesPage>;
     // Fetch ML data (face detections + CLIP embeddings) for up to a batch of
-    // files. Optional: a client without it simply disables ML fetching, leaving
+    // files, and for each file whose ML data did not decrypt, gunzip or parse,
-    // the metadata refresh untouched.
+    // why not. Optional: a client without it simply disables ML fetching,
+    // leaving the metadata refresh untouched.
     fetchMLData?(args: {
         fileIDs: number[];
         fileKeys: Map<number, Uint8Array>;
-    }): Promise<Map<number, MLData>>;
+    }): Promise<{
+        payloads: Map<number, MLData>;
+        errors: Map<number, unknown>;
+    }>;
     // The byte source for the on-disk content cache. Optional so a mock client
     // that only serves metadata still satisfies the interface; when absent (and
     // no explicit `contentSource` is passed to `open`) the content cache is
@@ -154,9 +159,11 @@ export interface LibraryClient {
 // A progress event for one unit of background work. A metadata "refresh" or an
 // ML "fetchMLData" pass each fire "started" before their network work and then
 // exactly one of "done" or "failed"; "failed" carries the error message and
-// an ML "done" reports how many payloads it stored. The precache fills
+// an ML "done" reports how many payloads it stored and, in `mlDataErrors`,
-// ("precacheThumbnails"/"precacheOriginals", #48) fire "started"/"done" around
+// each file whose ML data did not decrypt, gunzip or parse, with the reason.
-// each sweep that has work, "done" reporting the count newly cached.
+// The precache fills ("precacheThumbnails"/"precacheOriginals", #48) fire
+// "started"/"done" around each sweep that has work, "done" reporting the count
+// newly cached.
 export interface RefreshEvent {
     operation:
         | "refresh"
@@ -166,6 +173,7 @@ export interface RefreshEvent {
     status: "started" | "done" | "failed";
     error?: string;
     fetched?: number;
+    mlDataErrors?: { fileID: number; error: string }[];
 }
 
 export type RefreshProgressCallback = (event: RefreshEvent) => void;
@@ -225,6 +233,10 @@ export interface LibraryStatus {
     lastMLFetchAt?: number;
     // The most recent ML fetch pass's error, set only while it failed.
     lastMLError?: string;
+    // Each file whose ML data the most recent ML fetch pass got but could not
+    // decrypt, gunzip or parse, with the reason. Such ML data is not cached,
+    // so the next pass asks for it again.
+    mlDataErrors: { fileID: number; error: string }[];
     // ML payloads stored on disk and CLIP embeddings in the index; undefined
     // when ML fetching is disabled.
     mlStored?: number;
@@ -292,6 +304,10 @@ export class Library {
     private lastError?: string;
     private lastMLFetchAt?: number;
     private lastMLError?: string;
+    // For each file whose ML data the most recent ML fetch pass got but could
+    // not decrypt, gunzip or parse, why not, by fileID. Kept in RAM only,
+    // never in the cache.
+    private readonly mlDataErrors = new Map<number, unknown>();
     // The plain-record projection as of the last refresh, and the GUI change
     // subscribers. A refresh that alters the projection notifies each with the
     // delta; `lastRecords` is kept current every refresh so a subscriber that
@@ -542,6 +558,7 @@ export class Library {
             lastError: this.lastError,
             lastMLFetchAt: this.lastMLFetchAt,
             lastMLError: this.lastMLError,
+            mlDataErrors: this.describeMLDataErrors(),
             mlStored: ml?.stored,
             mlIndexed: ml?.indexed,
             originalsUsedBytes: originals?.usedBytes,
@@ -610,6 +627,7 @@ export class Library {
                 contentConcurrency: this.pools.content.concurrency,
                 fetchMLData: () => this.fetchMLDataNow(),
                 mlData: (fileID) => this.mldata.forFile({ fileID }),
+                mlDataError: (fileID) => this.mlDataErrors.get(fileID),
             },
             { ...opts, downloadDirectory },
         );
@@ -836,8 +854,10 @@ export class Library {
 
     // One ML fetch pass: fetch, decrypt and store the ML data for every file
     // the store knows about that is not cached (or whose `updationTime` has
-    // advanced), through the metadata pool, and update the CLIP index. A
+    // advanced), through the metadata pool, and update the CLIP index. For a
-    // failure is reported through `status()` and `onProgress`, then thrown.
+    // file whose ML data does not decrypt, gunzip or parse, it keeps the
+    // reason in `mlDataErrors` instead. A failure is reported through
+    // `status()` and `onProgress`, then thrown.
     private async runMLFetch(): Promise<void> {
         const mldata = this.mlStore;
         // Bind so the call keeps the client as its receiver when invoked
@@ -847,6 +867,9 @@ export class Library {
 
         const files = this.uniqueFiles();
         const needed = mldata.neededFor(files);
+        // A file whose ML data did not decode in the pass before is still
+        // among `needed`, so this pass gives its reason anew.
+        this.mlDataErrors.clear();
         if (needed.length === 0) return;
 
         this.emit({ operation: "fetchMLData", status: "started" });
@@ -862,10 +885,13 @@ export class Library {
             for (let i = 0; i < needed.length; i += MLDATA_BATCH_SIZE) {
                 if (this.closed) break;
                 const batch = needed.slice(i, i + MLDATA_BATCH_SIZE);
-                const payloads = await this.pools.metadata.run(
+                const { payloads, errors } = await this.pools.metadata.run(
                     () => fetchMLData({ fileIDs: batch, fileKeys }),
                     { priority: "background" },
                 );
+                for (const [id, error] of errors) {
+                    this.mlDataErrors.set(id, error);
+                }
                 stored += (await mldata.storeFetched(payloads, updation))
                     .stored;
             }
@@ -876,6 +902,7 @@ export class Library {
                 operation: "fetchMLData",
                 status: "done",
                 fetched: stored,
+                mlDataErrors: this.describeMLDataErrors(),
             });
         } catch (err) {
             const error = err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err);
@@ -885,6 +912,14 @@ export class Library {
         }
     }
 
+    // `mlDataErrors` as `status()` and the ML "done" event give it.
+    private describeMLDataErrors(): { fileID: number; error: string }[] {
+        return [...this.mlDataErrors].map(([fileID, err]) => ({
+            fileID,
+            error: describeError(err),
+        }));
+    }
+
     // The distinct files the store holds, one entry per fileID (a file in
     // several collections shares its ML data), each carrying the key and the
     // newest `updationTime` seen across its memberships.

src/metadata-backup.ts

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { mkdirSync, readFileSync, writeFileSync } from "node:fs";
 import { join } from "node:path";
 import * as jpeg from "jpeg-js";
 import type { Client } from "./client.js";
+import { describeError } from "./errors.js";
 import { readExifTags } from "./exif.js";
 import type { Library, Photo } from "./library/index.js";
 import { sanitizeFileName } from "./filename.js";
@@ -91,14 +92,15 @@ const extractExif = async (
 // of plain JSON: account, per-collection, and per-file records including the
 // private and public magic metadata and (by default) the ML data. Collections
 // and files are enumerated from the library's cache, which the caller refreshes
-// first. Returns how many ML data requests failed; their files are still
+// first. Returns how many files have no ML data because their ML data request
+// failed or their ML data did not decrypt, gunzip or parse; they are still
 // written, with `mlDataError` in place of `mlData`.
 export const runMetadataBackup = async (
     lib: Library,
     client: Client,
     outDir: string,
     opts?: MetadataBackupOptions,
-): Promise<{ failedMLBatches: number }> => {
+): Promise<{ mlDataErrors: number }> => {
     const log = opts?.onProgress ?? (() => {});
     const wantExif = opts?.exif ?? false;
 
@@ -164,24 +166,28 @@ export const runMetadataBackup = async (
     }
 
     // One failed request (retries exhausted) must not end the dump: its files
-    // get the reason in `mlDataError` and the other batches go on.
+    // get the reason in `mlDataError` and the other batches go on. So does a
+    // file whose ML data does not decrypt, gunzip or parse.
     log("Fetching ML data (face detections, CLIP embeddings)...");
     const mlDataMap = new Map<number, MLData>();
     const mlDataErrors = new Map<number, string>();
-    let failedMLBatches = 0;
     const fileIDs = [...fileKeys.keys()];
     for (let i = 0; i < fileIDs.length; i += MLDATA_BATCH_SIZE) {
         const batch = fileIDs.slice(i, i + MLDATA_BATCH_SIZE);
         try {
-            const result = await fetchMLDataBatch(
+            const { payloads, errors } = await fetchMLDataBatch(
                 client.getApiClient(),
                 batch,
                 fileKeys,
             );
-            for (const [id, payload] of result) mlDataMap.set(id, payload);
+            for (const [id, payload] of payloads) mlDataMap.set(id, payload);
+            for (const [id, err] of errors) {
+                const reason = describeError(err);
+                log(`ML data of file ${id} could not be read: ${reason}`);
+                mlDataErrors.set(id, reason);
+            }
         } catch (err) {
             const reason = err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err);
-            failedMLBatches++;
             log(
                 `ML data request for ${batch.length} file(s) failed: ${reason}`,
             );
@@ -229,5 +235,5 @@ export const runMetadataBackup = async (
     }
 
     log("Metadata backup complete.");
-    return { failedMLBatches };
+    return { mlDataErrors: mlDataErrors.size };
 };

src/mldata-fetch.ts

@@ -28,43 +28,43 @@ interface RawRemoteFileData {
     updatedAt?: number;
 }
 
-// Decrypt one entry with its file key and gunzip the JSON payload. Returns
+// Decrypt one entry with its file key and gunzip the JSON payload. Throws why
-// undefined when the key is unknown or the entry does not decrypt/parse, so one
+// when the entry does not decrypt, gunzip or parse.
-// corrupt file never fails a whole batch.
+const decodeEntry = (entry: RawRemoteFileData, key: Uint8Array): MLData => {
-const decodeEntry = (
+    const decrypted = decryptBlob(
-    entry: RawRemoteFileData,
+        fromBase64(entry.encryptedData),
-    key: Uint8Array | undefined,
+        fromBase64(entry.decryptionHeader),
-): MLData | undefined => {
+        key,
-    if (!key) return undefined;
+    );
-    try {
+    const json = gunzipSync(Buffer.from(decrypted)).toString("utf-8");
-        const decrypted = decryptBlob(
+    return JSON.parse(json) as MLData;
-            fromBase64(entry.encryptedData),
-            fromBase64(entry.decryptionHeader),
-            key,
-        );
-        const json = gunzipSync(Buffer.from(decrypted)).toString("utf-8");
-        return JSON.parse(json) as MLData;
-    } catch {
-        return undefined;
-    }
 };
 
 // Fetch ML data for up to `MLDATA_BATCH_SIZE` ids in a single request. This is
 // the unit the request pools schedule; callers with more ids split them into
-// batches and submit each batch to the pool.
+// batches and submit each batch to the pool. Returns the payload of each file
+// whose entry decodes and, in `errors`, why not for each file whose entry does
+// not, so one corrupt file never fails a whole batch. An entry for a file
+// whose key is not known, which quak did not ask for, is skipped.
 export const fetchMLDataBatch = async (
     api: ApiClient,
     fileIDs: number[],
     fileKeys: Map<number, Uint8Array>,
-): Promise<Map<number, MLData>> => {
+): Promise<{ payloads: Map<number, MLData>; errors: Map<number, unknown> }> => {
     const { data } = await api.postJSON<{ data: RawRemoteFileData[] }>(
         "/files/data/fetch",
         { type: "mldata", fileIDs },
     );
-    const result = new Map<number, MLData>();
+    const payloads = new Map<number, MLData>();
+    const errors = new Map<number, unknown>();
     for (const entry of data ?? []) {
-        const payload = decodeEntry(entry, fileKeys.get(entry.fileID));
+        const key = fileKeys.get(entry.fileID);
-        if (payload) result.set(entry.fileID, payload);
+        if (!key) continue;
+        try {
+            payloads.set(entry.fileID, decodeEntry(entry, key));
+        } catch (err) {
+            errors.set(entry.fileID, err);
+        }
     }
-    return result;
+    return { payloads, errors };
 };

test/cli/backup-end-to-end.test.ts

@@ -274,17 +274,17 @@ afterAll(() => {
 
 // Run `quak backup <dir>` as `bin/quak.ts` runs it, sending its requests
 // through `fetch`, and return its exit code and everything it printed on
-// stderr. Its requests are retried as those of `quak backup` are, except that
+// stderr and on stdout. Its requests are retried as those of `quak backup`
-// a retry does not wait. A download is given up after `downloadTimeoutMs` with
+// are, except that a retry does not wait. A download is given up after
-// no bytes received, 60 seconds unless given. Its cache is beside `dir`, so
+// `downloadTimeoutMs` with no bytes received, 60 seconds unless given. Its
-// each run of one directory finds the cache the run before it left, as cron's
+// cache is beside `dir`, so each run of one directory finds the cache the run
-// runs find the user's.
+// before it left, as cron's runs find the user's.
 const backup = async (
     dir: string,
-    opts: { verify?: boolean } = {},
+    opts: { verify?: boolean; json?: boolean } = {},
     fetch = server,
     downloadTimeoutMs?: number,
-): Promise<{ code: number; stderr: string }> => {
+): Promise<{ code: number; stderr: string; stdout: string }> => {
     let printed = "";
     const stderr = new Writable({
         write(chunk: Buffer, _encoding, done) {
@@ -292,8 +292,10 @@ const backup = async (
             done();
         },
     });
+    let output = "";
     const stdout = new Writable({
-        write(_chunk, _encoding, done) {
+        write(chunk: Buffer, _encoding, done) {
+            output += chunk.toString();
             done();
         },
     });
@@ -319,7 +321,7 @@ const backup = async (
     const code = await new Promise<number>((resolve) => {
         void run(backupCommand(ctx, dir, opts), stdout, stderr, resolve);
     });
-    return { code, stderr: printed };
+    return { code, stderr: printed, stdout: output };
 };
 
 // The ID of the file whose original a request downloads, or undefined for any
@@ -630,6 +632,40 @@ describe("quak backup", () => {
         ).toEqual([]);
     });
 
+    // The user has put a file in collections/ with the name of the Trips
+    // folder, so quak cannot make that folder. It says so on one line, writes
+    // the two albums after it, and exits 1, and --json lists the album's ID
+    // in `failedAlbums`. No file failed, so there is no failures.json.
+    it("exits 1 when an album's folder cannot be made, writes the other albums, and lists it in --json", async () => {
+        const dir = mkdtempSync(join(root, "backup-"));
+        mkdirSync(join(dir, "collections"));
+        writeFileSync(join(dir, "collections", "Trips"), "mine");
+
+        const first = await backup(dir);
+        const { code, stdout } = await backup(dir, { json: true });
+
+        expect(first.code).toBe(1);
+        expect(first.stderr).toMatch(/^FAILED album Trips: EEXIST: /m);
+        expect(code).toBe(1);
+        expect(JSON.parse(stdout)).toMatchObject({
+            failed: 0,
+            undecryptableAlbums: [],
+            failedAlbums: [10],
+        });
+        const collections = join(dir, "collections");
+        expect(readJSON(join(collections, "Family.json")).id).toBe(20);
+        expect(readdirSync(join(collections, "Family")).sort()).toEqual([
+            "IMG_0002.heic",
+            "IMG_0002.mov",
+            "beach.jpg",
+        ]);
+        expect(readJSON(join(collections, "Friend's Wedding.json")).id).toBe(
+            30,
+        );
+        expect(existsSync(join(collections, "Trips.json"))).toBe(false);
+        expect(existsSync(join(dir, "failures.json"))).toBe(false);
+    });
+
     // The server no longer accepts the saved session's token, as after
     // `quak logout` elsewhere, and answers every request with 401. The run
     // stops at the refresh it starts with, says to log in again, and exits 3.
@@ -841,6 +877,56 @@ describe("quak backup", () => {
         ]);
     });
 
+    // The server sends beach.jpg's ML data encrypted under a key that is not
+    // the file's, so quak cannot decrypt it. The file's JSON has the reason
+    // in place of the ML data, and the file goes into `failures.json` with
+    // it, so the exit code is 1. The other two files have no ML data, which
+    // is no failure.
+    it("records a file whose ML data does not decrypt in its JSON and in failures.json, and exits 1", async () => {
+        const otherKey = sodium.crypto_secretstream_xchacha20poly1305_keygen();
+        const mlData = encryptStreamBlob(
+            gzipSync(JSON.stringify(ML_DATA)),
+            otherKey,
+        );
+        const fetch: typeof globalThis.fetch = async (input, init) => {
+            if (new URL(String(input)).pathname !== "/files/data/fetch") {
+                return server(input, init);
+            }
+            const data = [
+                {
+                    fileID: BEACH.id,
+                    encryptedData: toBase64(mlData.ciphertext),
+                    decryptionHeader: toBase64(mlData.header),
+                },
+            ];
+            return new Response(JSON.stringify({ data }), {
+                headers: { "content-type": "application/json" },
+            });
+        };
+        const dir = mkdtempSync(join(root, "backup-"));
+
+        const { code, stderr } = await backup(dir, {}, fetch);
+
+        expect(code).toBe(1);
+        const reason = "secretstream chunk authentication failed";
+        const beachJSON = readJSON(join(dir, DAY, "2024-03-01.100.json"));
+        expect(beachJSON).not.toHaveProperty("mlData");
+        expect(beachJSON.mlDataError).toBe(reason);
+        const failures = readJSON(join(dir, "failures.json"));
+        expect(Object.keys(failures.files)).toEqual(["100"]);
+        expect(failures.files["100"]).toMatchObject({
+            fileID: 100,
+            title: "beach.jpg",
+            error: `ML data: ${reason}`,
+        });
+        expect(stderr).toContain(`beach.jpg (id 100): ML data: ${reason}\n`);
+        for (const fileID of [200, 300]) {
+            const json = readJSON(join(dir, DAY, `2024-03-01.${fileID}.json`));
+            expect(json).not.toHaveProperty("mlData");
+            expect(json).not.toHaveProperty("mlDataError");
+        }
+    });
+
     // Something changed beach.jpg on disk after it was backed up. A run with
     // --verify hashes every stored original, finds that one no longer matches
     // the hash Ente recorded, says so, and downloads it again; it put back the

test/cli/backup.test.ts

@@ -938,13 +938,14 @@ const ML_PAYLOAD = { face: { faces: [] }, clip: { embedding: [0.5, 0.25] } };
 
 class MLClient extends MockClient {
     mlError?: string;
-    async fetchMLData(args: {
+    async fetchMLData(args: { fileIDs: number[] }): Promise<{
-        fileIDs: number[];
+        payloads: Map<number, MLData>;
-    }): Promise<Map<number, MLData>> {
+        errors: Map<number, unknown>;
+    }> {
         if (this.mlError) throw new Error(this.mlError);
-        const result = new Map<number, MLData>();
+        const payloads = new Map<number, MLData>();
-        if (args.fileIDs.includes(100)) result.set(100, ML_PAYLOAD);
+        if (args.fileIDs.includes(100)) payloads.set(100, ML_PAYLOAD);
-        return result;
+        return { payloads, errors: new Map() };
     }
 }
 
@@ -1498,13 +1499,15 @@ describe("backup album folders", () => {
         files: EnteFile[];
     }
 
-    const libraryOf = (albums: Album[]): BackupLibrary => ({
+    // The original of the file `notFound`, if given, always fails to download.
+    const libraryOf = (albums: Album[], notFound?: number): BackupLibrary => ({
         refresh: async () => {},
         listCollections: () => albums.map((a) => a.collection),
         listFiles: (id) =>
             albums.find((a) => a.collection.id === id)?.files ?? [],
         undecryptable: () => [],
         original: async (fileID) => {
+            if (fileID === notFound) throw new Error("HTTP 404");
             const path = join(root, `source-${fileID}`);
             writeFileSync(path, `original ${fileID}`);
             return { path };
@@ -1515,6 +1518,7 @@ describe("backup album folders", () => {
         contentConcurrency: 5,
         fetchMLData: async () => {},
         mlData: async () => undefined,
+        mlDataError: () => undefined,
         whoami: () => ({ email: "backup@example.com", userID: USER_ID }),
     });
 
@@ -1600,6 +1604,252 @@ describe("backup album folders", () => {
         expect(albumID(outDir, "Trip (11) (12).json")).toBe(12);
     });
 
+    // The next three tests end with the album "ok" (14), whose one file
+    // always fails to download, so each run has a failure to record in
+    // failures.json after the album folders are written.
+    const ok: Album = {
+        collection: collection(14, "ok"),
+        files: [file(5, 14, "e.jpg")],
+    };
+
+    // The folder of an album named "x.json" would be the JSON file of the
+    // album "x", and once ended every run there. Two runs, as on two nights,
+    // write the same tree, and the failed file's attempt count goes up.
+    it("adds the ID to an album whose folder would have another album's JSON name", async () => {
+        const outDir = join(root, "backup");
+        const lib = libraryOf(
+            [
+                {
+                    collection: collection(10, "x"),
+                    files: [file(1, 10, "a.jpg")],
+                },
+                {
+                    collection: collection(11, "x.json"),
+                    files: [file(2, 11, "b.jpg")],
+                },
+                {
+                    collection: collection(12, "Trip"),
+                    files: [file(3, 12, "c.jpg")],
+                },
+                {
+                    collection: collection(13, "TRIP.json"),
+                    files: [file(4, 13, "d.jpg")],
+                },
+                ok,
+            ],
+            5,
+        );
+
+        await runBackup(lib, { downloadDirectory: outDir });
+        const result = await runBackup(lib, { downloadDirectory: outDir });
+
+        expect(result.failedAlbums).toEqual([]);
+        expect(tree(outDir)).toEqual([
+            "TRIP.json (13)/",
+            `TRIP.json (13)/d.jpg -> ${linkTo("4.jpg")}`,
+            "TRIP.json (13).json",
+            "Trip/",
+            `Trip/c.jpg -> ${linkTo("3.jpg")}`,
+            "Trip.json",
+            "ok/",
+            "ok.json",
+            "x/",
+            `x/a.jpg -> ${linkTo("1.jpg")}`,
+            "x.json",
+            "x.json (11)/",
+            `x.json (11)/b.jpg -> ${linkTo("2.jpg")}`,
+            "x.json (11).json",
+        ]);
+        expect(albumID(outDir, "x.json")).toBe(10);
+        expect(albumID(outDir, "x.json (11).json")).toBe(11);
+        expect(albumID(outDir, "TRIP.json (13).json")).toBe(13);
+        expect(albumID(outDir, "ok.json")).toBe(14);
+        expect(result.failed).toBe(1);
+        expect(readLedger(outDir).files["5"]).toMatchObject({ attempts: 2 });
+    });
+
+    // A name over 255 bytes is refused as a file name, and an album folder's
+    // name leaves room for `.json` in its JSON's. "é" takes two bytes, and a
+    // name is cut between two characters.
+    it("cuts an album name and a title too long for a file name short and adds the ID", async () => {
+        const outDir = join(root, "backup");
+        const lib = libraryOf(
+            [
+                {
+                    collection: collection(10, "L".repeat(300)),
+                    files: [file(1, 10, `${"é".repeat(150)}.jpg`)],
+                },
+                ok,
+            ],
+            5,
+        );
+
+        await runBackup(lib, { downloadDirectory: outDir });
+        const result = await runBackup(lib, { downloadDirectory: outDir });
+
+        const folder = `${"L".repeat(245)} (10)`;
+        const link = `${"é".repeat(123)} (1).jpg`;
+        expect(Buffer.byteLength(`${folder}.json`)).toBe(255);
+        expect(Buffer.byteLength(link)).toBe(254);
+        expect(result.failedAlbums).toEqual([]);
+        expect(tree(outDir)).toEqual([
+            `${folder}/`,
+            `${folder}/${link} -> ${linkTo("1.jpg")}`,
+            `${folder}.json`,
+            "ok/",
+            "ok.json",
+        ]);
+        expect(albumID(outDir, `${folder}.json`)).toBe(10);
+        expect(albumID(outDir, "ok.json")).toBe(14);
+        expect(result.failed).toBe(1);
+        expect(readLedger(outDir).files["5"]).toMatchObject({ attempts: 2 });
+    });
+
+    // The user has put a file in collections/ with the name of the album
+    // Trip's folder, so the folder cannot be made.
+    it("goes on to the next album when an album's folder cannot be made, and lists it as failed", async () => {
+        const outDir = join(root, "backup");
+        const lib = libraryOf(
+            [
+                {
+                    collection: collection(10, "Trip"),
+                    files: [file(1, 10, "a.jpg")],
+                },
+                ok,
+            ],
+            5,
+        );
+        mkdirSync(join(outDir, "collections"), { recursive: true });
+        writeFileSync(join(outDir, "collections", "Trip"), "mine");
+        const logged: string[] = [];
+
+        const result = await runBackup(lib, {
+            downloadDirectory: outDir,
+            onProgress: (message) => logged.push(message),
+        });
+
+        expect(result.failedAlbums).toEqual([10]);
+        expect(logged).toContainEqual(
+            expect.stringMatching(/^FAILED album Trip: EEXIST: /),
+        );
+        expect(tree(outDir)).toEqual(["Trip", "ok/", "ok.json"]);
+        expect(albumID(outDir, "ok.json")).toBe(14);
+        expect(existsSync(saved(outDir, "1.jpg"))).toBe(true);
+        expect(result.failed).toBe(1);
+        expect(readLedger(outDir).files["5"]).toMatchObject({ attempts: 1 });
+    });
+
+    // The extensions of these titles leave no room for the ID, so each is cut
+    // short and the name before the ID keeps only the bytes that cut leaves
+    // over. File 1's extension is 303 bytes and is cut to 251, which leaves
+    // none. File 2's is 271 bytes and is cut to 250, since "€" takes three
+    // bytes, which leaves one, for the "a". Neither extension is only letters
+    // and digits, so both originals are saved with `.bin`, a name that fits.
+    it("cuts the extension of a title short when it leaves no room for the ID", async () => {
+        const outDir = join(root, "backup");
+        const lib = libraryOf([
+            {
+                collection: collection(10, "Trip"),
+                files: [
+                    file(1, 10, `a.${"L".repeat(300)}-x`),
+                    file(2, 10, `a.${"€".repeat(90)}`),
+                ],
+            },
+        ]);
+
+        const result = await runBackup(lib, { downloadDirectory: outDir });
+
+        const link = ` (1).${"L".repeat(250)}`;
+        const link2 = `a (2).${"€".repeat(83)}`;
+        expect(Buffer.byteLength(link)).toBe(255);
+        expect(Buffer.byteLength(link2)).toBe(255);
+        expect(result.failed).toBe(0);
+        expect(tree(outDir)).toEqual([
+            "Trip/",
+            `Trip/${link} -> ${linkTo("1.bin")}`,
+            `Trip/${link2} -> ${linkTo("2.bin")}`,
+            "Trip.json",
+        ]);
+    });
+
+    // Files 1 and 3 share a title, so each gets its ID before the
+    // extension. File 2's title is too long, and its extension leaves no
+    // room for the ID. Were the ID put at the end of file 2's title cut
+    // short, its link would have file 1's name, and the link made second
+    // would replace the first.
+    it("keeps names unique when a title's extension leaves no room for the ID", async () => {
+        const outDir = join(root, "backup");
+        const shared = `x.${"Q".repeat(245)} (2)`;
+        const lib = libraryOf([
+            {
+                collection: collection(10, "Trip"),
+                files: [
+                    file(1, 10, shared),
+                    file(2, 10, `x (1).${"Q".repeat(250)}-`),
+                    file(3, 10, shared),
+                ],
+            },
+        ]);
+
+        const result = await runBackup(lib, { downloadDirectory: outDir });
+
+        expect(result.failed).toBe(0);
+        expect(tree(outDir)).toEqual([
+            "Trip/",
+            `Trip/ (2).${"Q".repeat(250)} -> ${linkTo("2.bin")}`,
+            `Trip/x (1).${"Q".repeat(245)} (2) -> ${linkTo("1.bin")}`,
+            `Trip/x (3).${"Q".repeat(245)} (2) -> ${linkTo("3.bin")}`,
+            "Trip.json",
+        ]);
+    });
+
+    // A title of 255 bytes is the longest file name allowed, and an album
+    // name of 250 bytes the longest whose JSON name fits; both are kept as
+    // they are. A name one byte longer gets the ID and is cut short. "é"
+    // takes two bytes, and in both names the room left ends inside one, so
+    // the cut falls before it, one byte short of the room.
+    it("keeps a name at the byte limit and adds the ID to one a byte over it", async () => {
+        const outDir = join(root, "backup");
+        const album = "A".repeat(250);
+        const title = `${"t".repeat(251)}.jpg`;
+        const longAlbum = `${"é".repeat(125)}B`;
+        const longTitle = `${"é".repeat(126)}.jpg`;
+        const lib = libraryOf([
+            {
+                collection: collection(10, album),
+                files: [file(1, 10, title), file(2, 10, longTitle)],
+            },
+            {
+                collection: collection(11, longAlbum),
+                files: [file(3, 11, "c.jpg")],
+            },
+        ]);
+
+        const result = await runBackup(lib, { downloadDirectory: outDir });
+
+        const folder = `${"é".repeat(122)} (11)`;
+        const link = `${"é".repeat(123)} (2).jpg`;
+        expect(Buffer.byteLength(`${album}.json`)).toBe(255);
+        expect(Buffer.byteLength(title)).toBe(255);
+        expect(Buffer.byteLength(longAlbum)).toBe(251);
+        expect(Buffer.byteLength(longTitle)).toBe(256);
+        expect(Buffer.byteLength(`${folder}.json`)).toBe(254);
+        expect(Buffer.byteLength(link)).toBe(254);
+        expect(result.failed).toBe(0);
+        expect(result.failedAlbums).toEqual([]);
+        expect(tree(outDir)).toEqual([
+            `${album}/`,
+            `${album}/${title} -> ${linkTo("1.jpg")}`,
+            `${album}/${link} -> ${linkTo("2.jpg")}`,
+            `${album}.json`,
+            `${folder}/`,
+            `${folder}/c.jpg -> ${linkTo("3.jpg")}`,
+            `${folder}.json`,
+        ]);
+        expect(albumID(outDir, `${album}.json`)).toBe(10);
+        expect(albumID(outDir, `${folder}.json`)).toBe(11);
+    });
+
     it("changes nothing on a second run over an unchanged account", async () => {
         const outDir = join(root, "backup");
         const lib = libraryOf([

test/cli/metadata-backup.test.ts

@@ -489,15 +489,15 @@ describe("quak backup-metadata", () => {
     });
 });
 
-describe("quak backup-metadata when an ML data request fails", () => {
+describe("quak backup-metadata when a file's ML data cannot be read", () => {
-    // Run the CLI command against the mock and return its exit code, stderr
+    // Run the CLI command against `fetch`, the mock unless given, and return
-    // and output directory.
+    // its exit code, stderr and output directory.
-    const runCommand = async (failMLDataFor?: number) => {
+    const runCommand = async (fetch = buildMetaFetch(mock)) => {
         const client = await Client.login({
             email: TEST_EMAIL,
             password: TEST_PASSWORD,
             apiOptions: {
-                fetch: buildMetaFetch(mock, failMLDataFor),
+                fetch,
                 retry: { sleep: async () => {} },
             },
         });
@@ -518,7 +518,9 @@ describe("quak backup-metadata when an ML data request fails", () => {
     };
 
     it("writes every file, marks the failed batch's files, and exits 1", async () => {
-        const { code, stderr, outDir } = await runCommand(200);
+        const { code, stderr, outDir } = await runCommand(
+            buildMetaFetch(mock, 200),
+        );
 
         expect(code).toBe(1);
         expect(stderr).toContain("ML data request for 1 file(s) failed");
@@ -543,6 +545,49 @@ describe("quak backup-metadata when an ML data request fails", () => {
         expect(failed.mlDataError).toContain("500");
     });
 
+    // The server sends ML data for diagram.png encrypted under a key that is
+    // not the file's, so quak cannot decrypt it.
+    it("writes the reason for ML data that does not decrypt, and exits 1", async () => {
+        const otherKey = sodium.crypto_secretstream_xchacha20poly1305_keygen();
+        const { header, ciphertext } = encryptBlob(
+            new Uint8Array(gzipSync(Buffer.from("{}"))),
+            otherKey,
+        );
+        const { code, stderr, outDir } = await runCommand(
+            buildMetaFetch({
+                ...mock,
+                encryptedMLData: {
+                    ...mock.encryptedMLData,
+                    200: {
+                        encryptedData: toBase64(ciphertext),
+                        decryptionHeader: toBase64(header),
+                    },
+                },
+            }),
+        );
+
+        expect(code).toBe(1);
+        const reason = "secretstream chunk authentication failed";
+        expect(stderr).toContain(
+            `ML data of file 200 could not be read: ${reason}\n`,
+        );
+        const failed = JSON.parse(
+            readFileSync(
+                join(outDir, "collections", "20-__Work", "200.json"),
+                "utf-8",
+            ),
+        );
+        expect(failed.mlData).toBeUndefined();
+        expect(failed.mlDataError).toBe(reason);
+        const ok = JSON.parse(
+            readFileSync(
+                join(outDir, "collections", "10-Vacation", "100.json"),
+                "utf-8",
+            ),
+        );
+        expect(ok.mlData.clip.embedding).toEqual([0.5, 0.6, 0.7]);
+    });
+
     it("exits 0 when every ML data request succeeds", async () => {
         const { code } = await runCommand();
         expect(code).toBe(0);

test/filename/filename.test.ts

@@ -14,7 +14,11 @@
 
 import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
 
-import { safeExtension, sanitizeFileName } from "../../src/filename.js";
+import {
+    safeExtension,
+    sanitizeFileName,
+    shortenToBytes,
+} from "../../src/filename.js";
 
 const FALLBACK = "file-42";
 
@@ -91,3 +95,26 @@ describe("safeExtension", () => {
         expect(safeExtension("x.jpg\0")).toBe(".bin");
     });
 });
+
+describe("shortenToBytes", () => {
+    it("returns a name that fits unchanged", () => {
+        expect(shortenToBytes("beach", 5)).toBe("beach");
+        expect(shortenToBytes("café", 5)).toBe("café");
+        expect(shortenToBytes("", 0)).toBe("");
+    });
+
+    it("cuts a name to the number of bytes given", () => {
+        expect(shortenToBytes("L".repeat(300), 255)).toBe("L".repeat(255));
+    });
+
+    // In UTF-8 "é" takes two bytes and an emoji four, which a JavaScript
+    // string holds as two halves.
+    it("cuts between two characters, never inside one", () => {
+        expect(shortenToBytes("ééé", 5)).toBe("éé");
+        expect(shortenToBytes("a\u{1F600}b", 4)).toBe("a");
+        expect(shortenToBytes("a\u{1F600}b", 5)).toBe("a\u{1F600}");
+        expect(Buffer.byteLength(shortenToBytes("é".repeat(200), 255))).toBe(
+            254,
+        );
+    });
+});

test/library/mldata.test.ts

@@ -12,9 +12,10 @@
  *
  *   2. `Library` wiring: after each refresh the library fetches ML data through
  *      the metadata pool for every known file not yet cached, is incremental on
- *      later refreshes, and refetches a file whose `updationTime` advanced.
+ *      later refreshes, and refetches a file whose `updationTime` advanced. A
- *      Opening a cache directory written by another account starts empty,
+ *      file whose ML data did not decode is reported with the reason, and
- *      its ML data included (issue #104).
+ *      asked for again. Opening a cache directory written by another account
+ *      starts empty, its ML data included (issue #104).
  *
  * Embedding values are chosen to be exactly representable as float32 so the
  * round-trip through `clip.f32` compares equal.
@@ -26,7 +27,7 @@ import { tmpdir } from "node:os";
 import { join } from "node:path";
 
 import { MLDataStore } from "../../src/library/mldata.js";
-import { Library } from "../../src/library/index.js";
+import { Library, type RefreshEvent } from "../../src/library/index.js";
 import type { CollectionsPage, FilesPage } from "../../src/client.js";
 import type { MLData } from "../../src/mldata-fetch.js";
 import type { Collection, EnteFile } from "../../src/model/types.js";
@@ -256,12 +257,14 @@ const file = (
 
 // A mock client that serves scripted collection/file pages and per-file ML
 // payloads, recording every ML fetch request so incremental behaviour is
-// provable.
+// provable. A file in `mlErrorByFile` has ML data that did not decode, for
+// the reason given there.
 class MLMockClient {
     userID = USER_ID;
     collectionsQueue: CollectionsPage[] = [];
     filesByCollection = new Map<number, FilesPage[]>();
     mlByFile = new Map<number, MLData>();
+    mlErrorByFile = new Map<number, Error>();
     mlFetchCalls: number[][] = [];
 
     whoami(): { email: string; userID: number } {
@@ -298,14 +301,20 @@ class MLMockClient {
     async fetchMLData(args: {
         fileIDs: number[];
         fileKeys: Map<number, Uint8Array>;
-    }): Promise<Map<number, MLData>> {
+    }): Promise<{
+        payloads: Map<number, MLData>;
+        errors: Map<number, unknown>;
+    }> {
         this.mlFetchCalls.push([...args.fileIDs]);
-        const result = new Map<number, MLData>();
+        const payloads = new Map<number, MLData>();
+        const errors = new Map<number, unknown>();
         for (const id of args.fileIDs) {
             const p = this.mlByFile.get(id);
-            if (p) result.set(id, p);
+            if (p) payloads.set(id, p);
+            const error = this.mlErrorByFile.get(id);
+            if (error) errors.set(id, error);
         }
-        return result;
+        return { payloads, errors };
     }
 
     filesFor(collectionID: number, ...pages: FilesPage[]): void {
@@ -449,6 +458,74 @@ describe("Library ML-data fetch on refresh", () => {
         }
     });
 
+    it("reports a file whose ML data did not decode through status() and onProgress, and asks for it again", async () => {
+        const client = new MLMockClient();
+        client.collectionsQueue.push({
+            collections: [collection(1, 100)],
+            deleted: [],
+            cursor: 100,
+        });
+        client.filesFor(1, {
+            files: [file(1001, 1, 90), file(1002, 1, 95)],
+            deleted: [],
+            cursor: 95,
+        });
+        client.mlByFile.set(1001, payload([0.5, 0.25, 0.75]));
+        client.mlErrorByFile.set(
+            1002,
+            new Error("secretstream chunk authentication failed"),
+        );
+        const events: RefreshEvent[] = [];
+
+        const lib = await Library.open({
+            client,
+            cacheDirectory,
+            refreshIntervalSeconds: Infinity,
+            onProgress: (event) => events.push(event),
+        });
+        try {
+            await vi.waitFor(
+                () => expect(lib.status().lastMLFetchAt).toBeGreaterThan(0),
+                { timeout: 2000, interval: 5 },
+            );
+            const reasons = [
+                {
+                    fileID: 1002,
+                    error: "secretstream chunk authentication failed",
+                },
+            ];
+            expect(lib.status().mlDataErrors).toEqual(reasons);
+            expect(lib.status().mlStored).toBe(1);
+            expect(events.filter((e) => e.operation === "fetchMLData")).toEqual(
+                [
+                    { operation: "fetchMLData", status: "started" },
+                    {
+                        operation: "fetchMLData",
+                        status: "done",
+                        fetched: 1,
+                        mlDataErrors: reasons,
+                    },
+                ],
+            );
+
+            // Nothing was cached for 1002, so the pass a refresh starts asks
+            // for it again, and once its ML data decodes the reason is gone.
+            client.mlErrorByFile.clear();
+            client.mlByFile.set(1002, payload([1, -2, 0.5]));
+            await lib.fresh();
+            await vi.waitFor(
+                () => {
+                    expect(lib.status().mlStored).toBe(2);
+                    expect(lib.status().mlDataErrors).toEqual([]);
+                },
+                { timeout: 2000, interval: 5 },
+            );
+            expect(client.mlFetchCalls.at(-1)).toEqual([1002]);
+        } finally {
+            await lib.close();
+        }
+    });
+
     it("close() resolves only after a running ML data fetch has stored its payloads", async () => {
         const client = new MLMockClient();
         client.collectionsQueue.push({