List a file:// destination through a symlinked directory (closes #296)

List and ListStream walked the destination with afero.Walk, which uses
Lstat and so reported a symlinked metadata/ or blobs/ directory as one
file, while Put, Get and Stat follow the link. The store then listed as
empty, and prune removed the local snapshot records and deleted every
blob. Both listings now walk a view of the filesystem without its Lstat
method, so afero falls back to Stat and enters the link.

A symlink loop is not detected: it is followed until the system refuses
the path for too many levels of links, and the listing fails.

Model: opus-5-5

TODO.md

@@ -22,6 +22,50 @@ the tag exists and is exercised; what is left is merging `next` to
 
 # Completed Steps
 
+- 2026-10-12: Made a `file://` destination list through a symlinked
+  directory ([issue #296](https://git.eeqj.de/sneak/vaultik/issues/296)).
+  A `metadata/` or `blobs/` directory that was a symlink to a directory
+  elsewhere was listed as one file, so the destination store listed as
+  empty while backups and restores still worked through the link.
+  `prune` then removed the local snapshot records and deleted every blob,
+  and `remote info` and `remote nuke` found no blobs. The listings now
+  read through the link as `Get` and `Stat` do; a link pointing back up
+  the tree makes them fail.
+
+- 2026-10-12: Rejected a retention duration longer than about 292 years
+  ([issue #289](https://git.eeqj.de/sneak/vaultik/issues/289)). The
+  number given to `--older-than` or `--keep-newer-than` was multiplied
+  by the length of its unit with no limit, so from `293y`, `15251w`,
+  `3559mo` or `106752d`, or a sum of parts such as `200y200y`, the
+  result wrapped to a negative duration. The cutoff then lay in the
+  future, every snapshot of the name was deleted, the one just made
+  included, and the command exited 0. Such a duration is now rejected
+  as invalid and nothing is deleted.
+
+- 2026-10-08: Made a backup cancelled under `--skip-errors` stop at once
+  ([issue #286](https://git.eeqj.de/sneak/vaultik/issues/286)). After
+  Ctrl-C or SIGTERM, phase 2 treated the cancellation error from each
+  remaining file like an unreadable file: it opened the file, printed an
+  error line for it, counted it as failed and went on to the next one.
+  The run now stops at the first file after the cancellation, and no
+  file is counted as failed because of it.
+
+- 2026-10-08: Made `remote nuke` delete the `.partial` files that
+  uploads cut off part-way leave on the destination store
+  ([issue #281](https://git.eeqj.de/sneak/vaultik/issues/281)). The
+  file and rclone listings skip such a file, so the command left it in
+  place and still reported the store empty. It now removes them under
+  `metadata/` and `blobs/` as its last step.
+
+- 2026-10-08: Made a local index error while recording a directory or
+  symlink stop a backup under `--skip-errors`
+  ([issue #284](https://git.eeqj.de/sneak/vaultik/issues/284)). Phase 2
+  only records such an entry in the local index, since it has no data
+  to open or read, but an error doing so was skipped like an unreadable
+  file. The snapshot then completed without the entry, and a restore
+  did not recreate it. The error now stops the backup, as it does
+  without the flag.
+
 - 2026-10-08: Counted a file that a backup could not store as failed
   ([issue #280](https://git.eeqj.de/sneak/vaultik/issues/280)). A file
   that phase 1 counted and phase 2 could not open, because it was

internal/snapshot/scanner.go

@@ -1312,6 +1312,13 @@ func (s *Scanner) processPhase(
 
 	// Process each file
 	for _, fileToProcess := range filesToProcess {
+		// Check context cancellation
+		select {
+		case <-ctx.Done():
+			return ctx.Err()
+		default:
+		}
+
 		// Update progress
 		if s.progress != nil {
 			s.progress.GetStats().CurrentFile.Store(fileToProcess.Path)
@@ -1348,13 +1355,32 @@ func (s *Scanner) processPhase(
 	return s.finalizeProcessPhase(ctx, result)
 }
 
-// processFileWithErrorHandling wraps processFileStreaming with error recovery for
-// deleted files and skip-errors mode. Returns (skipped, error).
+// processFileWithErrorHandling records a directory or symlink, or wraps
+// processFileStreaming for a regular file with error recovery for deleted
+// files and skip-errors mode. Returns (skipped, error).
 func (s *Scanner) processFileWithErrorHandling(
 	ctx context.Context, fileToProcess *FileToProcess, result *ScanResult,
 ) (bool, error) {
+	// A directory or symlink has no data to open or read; it is only
+	// recorded in the local index. An error recording it stops the run
+	// even under --skip-errors, or the snapshot would complete without it.
+	mode := os.FileMode(fileToProcess.File.Mode)
+	if mode&os.ModeSymlink != 0 || mode.IsDir() {
+		err := s.recordNonRegularFile(ctx, fileToProcess)
+		if err != nil {
+			return false, fmt.Errorf("processing file %s: %w", fileToProcess.Path, err)
+		}
+
+		return false, nil
+	}
+
 	err := s.processFileStreaming(ctx, fileToProcess, result)
 	if err != nil {
+		// A cancelled run stops here even under --skip-errors, rather than
+		// counting this file as failed and going on to the next one.
+		if ctx.Err() != nil {
+			return false, fmt.Errorf("processing file %s: %w", fileToProcess.Path, err)
+		}
 		// A packer/database/encryption/upload failure means the chunk's data
 		// may not have been stored. Skipping the file would let the snapshot
 		// record a file whose chunk is in no blob and cannot be restored, so
@@ -1392,12 +1418,7 @@ func (s *Scanner) processFileWithErrorHandling(
 
 // countFailedFile counts a file that phase 2 could not store as failed
 // and takes its size back out of BytesScanned, where phase 1 put it.
-// Phase 1 counts no directories, so a directory is not counted here.
 func countFailedFile(fileToProcess *FileToProcess, result *ScanResult) {
-	if fileToProcess.FileInfo.IsDir() {
-		return
-	}
-
 	result.FilesFailed++
 	result.BytesScanned -= fileToProcess.FileInfo.Size()
 }
@@ -1770,16 +1791,11 @@ func (e *packerError) Error() string { return e.err.Error() }
 
 func (e *packerError) Unwrap() error { return e.err }
 
-// processFileStreaming processes a file by streaming chunks directly to the packer
+// processFileStreaming processes a regular file by streaming chunks directly
+// to the packer
 func (s *Scanner) processFileStreaming(
 	ctx context.Context, fileToProcess *FileToProcess, result *ScanResult,
 ) error {
-	// Symlinks and directories have no data to chunk — just record them in the DB.
-	mode := os.FileMode(fileToProcess.File.Mode)
-	if mode&os.ModeSymlink != 0 || mode.IsDir() {
-		return s.recordNonRegularFile(ctx, fileToProcess)
-	}
-
 	file, err := s.fs.Open(fileToProcess.Path)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("opening file: %w", wrapPermissionError(fileToProcess.Path, err))

internal/snapshot/skip_errors_test.go

@@ -82,6 +82,32 @@ func (f *readFailFs) Open(name string) (afero.File, error) {
 	return file, nil
 }
 
+// cancelOnOpenFs cancels the run when the scanner opens the target file to
+// back it up, as Ctrl-C partway through processing would, and records each
+// file opened after that.
+type cancelOnOpenFs struct {
+	afero.Fs
+
+	target            string
+	cancel            context.CancelFunc
+	cancelled         bool
+	openedAfterCancel []string
+}
+
+//nolint:ireturn // afero.Fs.Open is defined to return the interface.
+func (f *cancelOnOpenFs) Open(name string) (afero.File, error) {
+	if f.cancelled {
+		f.openedAfterCancel = append(f.openedAfterCancel, name)
+	}
+
+	if name == f.target {
+		f.cancel()
+		f.cancelled = true
+	}
+
+	return f.Fs.Open(name)
+}
+
 // linkRemovedAfterLstatFs is the real filesystem, except that the symlink at
 // target is removed right after the walk lstats it, as happens when a link is
 // deleted during a backup. The scanner's readlink of it then fails.
@@ -128,15 +154,16 @@ func writeSkipErrorTestFile(t *testing.T, fs afero.Fs, path, content string) {
 	}
 }
 
-// runSkipErrorScan scans source on fs with the given skip-errors setting,
-// printing user-facing messages to uiw (nil discards them), and returns the
-// repositories (for inspection) and the scan error.
+// runSkipErrorScan scans source on fs under ctx with the given skip-errors
+// setting, printing user-facing messages to uiw (nil discards them), and
+// returns the repositories (for inspection) and the scan error.
 func runSkipErrorScan(
-	t *testing.T, fs afero.Fs, source string, skipErrors bool, uiw *ui.Writer,
+	ctx context.Context, t *testing.T, fs afero.Fs, source string,
+	skipErrors bool, uiw *ui.Writer,
 ) (*database.Repositories, error) {
 	t.Helper()
 
-	db, err := database.NewTestDB()
+	db, err := database.New(ctx, ":memory:")
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("create test db: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -161,7 +188,6 @@ func runSkipErrorScan(
 		SkipErrors:       skipErrors,
 	})
 
-	ctx := context.Background()
 	snapshotID := "test-snapshot-skip-errors"
 	createTestSnapshotRecord(ctx, t, repos, snapshotID)
 
@@ -185,7 +211,7 @@ func TestScannerPackingFailureAbortsUnderSkipErrors(t *testing.T) {
 	writeSkipErrorTestFile(t, fs, "/source/file1.txt", "first file content")
 	writeSkipErrorTestFile(t, fs, "/source/file2.txt", "second file content")
 
-	repos, err := runSkipErrorScan(t, fs, "/source", true, nil)
+	repos, err := runSkipErrorScan(context.Background(), t, fs, "/source", true, nil)
 	if err == nil {
 		t.Fatal("expected scan to abort on the packer error, got nil")
 	}
@@ -212,7 +238,7 @@ func TestScannerReadErrorAbortsWithoutSkipErrors(t *testing.T) {
 	fs := &readFailFs{Fs: afero.NewMemMapFs(), target: target}
 	writeSkipErrorTestFile(t, fs, target, "content that cannot be read")
 
-	_, err := runSkipErrorScan(t, fs, "/source", false, nil)
+	_, err := runSkipErrorScan(context.Background(), t, fs, "/source", false, nil)
 	if err == nil {
 		t.Fatal("expected scan to fail on the read error, got nil")
 	}
@@ -228,7 +254,7 @@ func TestScannerReadErrorSkippedWithSkipErrors(t *testing.T) {
 	fs := &readFailFs{Fs: afero.NewMemMapFs(), target: target}
 	writeSkipErrorTestFile(t, fs, target, "content that cannot be read")
 
-	repos, err := runSkipErrorScan(t, fs, "/source", true, nil)
+	repos, err := runSkipErrorScan(context.Background(), t, fs, "/source", true, nil)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("expected scan to complete with --skip-errors, got %v", err)
 	}
@@ -267,7 +293,7 @@ func TestScannerUnreadableSymlinkAbortsWithoutSkipErrors(t *testing.T) {
 	sourceDir, linkPath := writeSymlinkSource(t)
 	fs := &linkRemovedAfterLstatFs{t: t, target: linkPath}
 
-	_, err := runSkipErrorScan(t, fs, sourceDir, false, nil)
+	_, err := runSkipErrorScan(context.Background(), t, fs, sourceDir, false, nil)
 	if !errors.Is(err, os.ErrNotExist) {
 		t.Fatalf("expected scan to fail on the removed symlink, got %v", err)
 	}
@@ -283,7 +309,7 @@ func TestScannerUnreadableSymlinkSkippedWithSkipErrors(t *testing.T) {
 	fs := &linkRemovedAfterLstatFs{t: t, target: linkPath}
 	uiw := ui.NewWithColor(io.Discard, false)
 
-	repos, err := runSkipErrorScan(t, fs, sourceDir, true, uiw)
+	repos, err := runSkipErrorScan(context.Background(), t, fs, sourceDir, true, uiw)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("expected scan to complete with --skip-errors, got %v", err)
 	}
@@ -302,3 +328,56 @@ func TestScannerUnreadableSymlinkSkippedWithSkipErrors(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("expected %s not to be recorded", linkPath)
 	}
 }
+
+// TestScannerCancelStopsSkipErrorsRun checks that a --skip-errors backup
+// cancelled partway through processing returns the cancellation error,
+// opens no further file, and reports no file as failed.
+func TestScannerCancelStopsSkipErrorsRun(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	tests := []struct {
+		name          string
+		targetContent string
+	}{
+		// The cancellation lands while the target is being read.
+		{name: "while reading a file", targetContent: "first file content"},
+		// An empty target has no chunks, so the cancellation goes unnoticed
+		// until the run moves on to the next file.
+		{name: "between files", targetContent: ""},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			t.Parallel()
+
+			const target = "/source/a.txt"
+
+			ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+			defer cancel()
+
+			fs := &cancelOnOpenFs{
+				Fs: afero.NewMemMapFs(), target: target, cancel: cancel,
+			}
+			writeSkipErrorTestFile(t, fs, target, tt.targetContent)
+			writeSkipErrorTestFile(t, fs, "/source/b.txt", "second file content")
+			writeSkipErrorTestFile(t, fs, "/source/c.txt", "third file content")
+
+			uiw := ui.NewWithColor(io.Discard, false)
+
+			_, err := runSkipErrorScan(ctx, t, fs, "/source", true, uiw)
+			if !errors.Is(err, context.Canceled) {
+				t.Fatalf("expected the cancellation error, got %v", err)
+			}
+
+			if len(fs.openedAfterCancel) != 0 {
+				t.Fatalf("expected no file opened after the cancellation, got %v",
+					fs.openedAfterCancel)
+			}
+
+			if uiw.ErrorCount() != 0 {
+				t.Fatalf("expected no file reported as failed, got %d error lines",
+					uiw.ErrorCount())
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}

internal/storage/faultstore/faultstore.go

@@ -171,6 +171,11 @@ func (f *Storer) ListStream(
 	return f.inner.ListStream(ctx, prefix)
 }
 
+// DeletePartialUploads delegates unchanged.
+func (f *Storer) DeletePartialUploads(ctx context.Context, prefix string) error {
+	return f.inner.DeletePartialUploads(ctx, prefix)
+}
+
 // Info delegates unchanged.
 func (f *Storer) Info() storage.Info {
 	return f.inner.Info()

internal/storage/file.go

@@ -120,9 +120,9 @@ func (f *FileStorer) Delete(_ context.Context, key string) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-// List returns all keys with the given prefix. It fails when the
-// destination directory is missing; a missing prefix under it is an
-// empty listing.
+// List returns all keys with the given prefix, reading through symlinked
+// directories. It fails when the destination directory is missing; a
+// missing prefix under it is an empty listing.
 func (f *FileStorer) List(ctx context.Context, prefix string) ([]string, error) {
 	var keys []string
 
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ func (f *FileStorer) List(ctx context.Context, prefix string) ([]string, error)
 		return keys, nil // Empty list for non-existent prefix
 	}
 
-	err = afero.Walk(f.fs, basePath, func(path string, info os.FileInfo, err error) error {
+	err = f.walk(basePath, func(path string, info os.FileInfo, err error) error {
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
@@ -176,7 +176,8 @@ func (f *FileStorer) List(ctx context.Context, prefix string) ([]string, error)
 }
 
 // ListStream returns a channel of ObjectInfo for large result sets. Like
-// List, it sends an error when the destination directory is missing.
+// List, it reads through symlinked directories and sends an error when
+// the destination directory is missing.
 func (f *FileStorer) ListStream(ctx context.Context, prefix string) <-chan ObjectInfo {
 	ch := make(chan ObjectInfo)
 
@@ -204,7 +205,7 @@ func (f *FileStorer) ListStream(ctx context.Context, prefix string) <-chan Objec
 			return // Empty channel for non-existent prefix
 		}
 
-		_ = afero.Walk(f.fs, basePath, func(path string, info os.FileInfo, err error) error {
+		_ = f.walk(basePath, func(path string, info os.FileInfo, err error) error {
 			// Check context cancellation
 			select {
 			case <-ctx.Done():
@@ -242,6 +243,42 @@ func (f *FileStorer) ListStream(ctx context.Context, prefix string) <-chan Objec
 	return ch
 }
 
+// DeletePartialUploads removes every file under prefix whose name ends in
+// tempSuffix. A missing prefix has none to remove.
+func (f *FileStorer) DeletePartialUploads(ctx context.Context, prefix string) error {
+	basePath := f.fullPath(prefix)
+
+	exists, err := afero.Exists(f.fs, basePath)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("checking path: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	if !exists {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	err = afero.Walk(f.fs, basePath, func(path string, info os.FileInfo, err error) error {
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
+		if ctx.Err() != nil {
+			return ctx.Err()
+		}
+
+		if info.IsDir() || !strings.HasSuffix(info.Name(), tempSuffix) {
+			return nil
+		}
+
+		return f.fs.Remove(path)
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("walking directory: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
 // Info returns human-readable storage location information.
 func (f *FileStorer) Info() Info {
 	return Info{
@@ -316,6 +353,17 @@ func (f *FileStorer) writeAtomic(
 	return nil
 }
 
+// walk is afero.Walk, except that it reads through a symlinked directory
+// the way Get and Stat do, where afero.Walk reports the link as one file.
+// afero.Walk uses Lstat, which does not follow a link, whenever the
+// filesystem has one; the struct below carries only the afero.Fs methods,
+// so the walk uses Stat instead. A link back up the tree is followed until
+// the operating system refuses the path for too many levels of links, and
+// the walk then fails.
+func (f *FileStorer) walk(root string, fn filepath.WalkFunc) error {
+	return afero.Walk(struct{ afero.Fs }{f.fs}, root, fn)
+}
+
 // fullPath returns the full filesystem path for a key.
 func (f *FileStorer) fullPath(key string) string {
 	return filepath.Join(f.basePath, key)

internal/storage/file_atomic_test.go

@@ -120,3 +120,45 @@ func TestFileStorer_ListSkipsPartialFiles(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("ListStream should return only the real key, got %v", streamed)
 	}
 }
+
+// TestFileStorer_DeletePartialUploads checks that a leftover temp file is
+// removed and the object at the real key is kept.
+func TestFileStorer_DeletePartialUploads(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	base := t.TempDir()
+
+	f, err := storage.NewFileStorer(base)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("NewFileStorer: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	ctx := context.Background()
+
+	err = f.Put(ctx, testBlobKey, strings.NewReader("blob-bytes"))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Put: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	leftover := filepath.Join(base, testBlobKey+"-123456.partial")
+
+	err = os.WriteFile(leftover, []byte("half"), 0o600)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("writing leftover temp file: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	err = f.DeletePartialUploads(ctx, "blobs/")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("DeletePartialUploads: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	_, err = os.Stat(leftover)
+	if !os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		t.Errorf("leftover temp file was not removed: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	_, err = f.Stat(ctx, testBlobKey)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("Stat of the real key: %v", err)
+	}
+}

internal/storage/file_backend_test.go

@@ -4,7 +4,10 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"errors"
 	"io/fs"
+	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"reflect"
+	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
 	"sneak.berlin/go/vaultik/internal/storage"
@@ -60,3 +63,100 @@ func TestFileStorerListMissingDestination(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("ListStream error = %v, want a not-exist error", streamErr)
 	}
 }
+
+// TestFileStorerListsThroughSymlinkedDirectory checks that List and
+// ListStream read through a symlinked metadata/ or blobs/ directory, as Get
+// and Stat do, instead of listing the link as one key. Listing the whole
+// destination meets the link part-way through the walk; listing its prefix
+// starts the walk at the link.
+func TestFileStorerListsThroughSymlinkedDirectory(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	for _, dir := range []string{"metadata", "blobs"} {
+		t.Run(dir, func(t *testing.T) {
+			t.Parallel()
+
+			base := t.TempDir()
+			key := dir + "/aa/bb/object"
+
+			s, err := storage.NewFileStorer(base)
+			if err != nil {
+				t.Fatalf("NewFileStorer: %v", err)
+			}
+
+			err = s.Put(context.Background(), key, strings.NewReader("data"))
+			if err != nil {
+				t.Fatalf("Put: %v", err)
+			}
+
+			linkPath := filepath.Join(base, dir)
+			movedPath := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), dir)
+
+			err = os.Rename(linkPath, movedPath)
+			if err != nil {
+				t.Fatalf("moving %s away: %v", dir, err)
+			}
+
+			err = os.Symlink(movedPath, linkPath)
+			if err != nil {
+				t.Fatalf("linking %s: %v", dir, err)
+			}
+
+			want := []string{key}
+
+			for _, prefix := range []string{"", dir + "/"} {
+				got := listSorted(t, s, prefix)
+				if !reflect.DeepEqual(got, want) {
+					t.Errorf("List(%q) = %v, want %v", prefix, got, want)
+				}
+
+				got = listStreamKeys(t, s, prefix)
+				if !reflect.DeepEqual(got, want) {
+					t.Errorf("ListStream(%q) = %v, want %v", prefix, got, want)
+				}
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+// TestFileStorerListFailsOnSymlinkLoop checks that a symlink pointing back
+// at the destination makes List and ListStream fail instead of walking it
+// forever.
+func TestFileStorerListFailsOnSymlinkLoop(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	base := t.TempDir()
+
+	s, err := storage.NewFileStorer(base)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("NewFileStorer: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	err = s.Put(ctx, testBlobKey, strings.NewReader("data"))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Put: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	err = os.Symlink(base, filepath.Join(base, "blobs", "loop"))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Symlink: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	keys, err := s.List(ctx, "blobs/")
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Errorf("List = %d keys and no error, want an error", len(keys))
+	}
+
+	var streamErr error
+
+	for object := range s.ListStream(ctx, "blobs/") {
+		if object.Err != nil {
+			streamErr = object.Err
+		}
+	}
+
+	if streamErr == nil {
+		t.Error("ListStream sent no error, want one")
+	}
+}

internal/storage/rclone.go

@@ -213,6 +213,31 @@ func (r *RcloneStorer) ListStream(
 	return ch
 }
 
+// DeletePartialUploads removes every object under prefix whose name ends
+// in tempSuffix.
+func (r *RcloneStorer) DeletePartialUploads(ctx context.Context, prefix string) error {
+	var partial []fs.Object
+
+	err := operations.ListFn(ctx, r.fsys, func(obj fs.Object) {
+		key := obj.Remote()
+		if strings.HasPrefix(key, prefix) && strings.HasSuffix(key, tempSuffix) {
+			partial = append(partial, obj)
+		}
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("listing objects: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	for _, obj := range partial {
+		err = obj.Remove(ctx)
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("removing object: %w", err)
+		}
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
 // Info returns human-readable storage location information.
 func (r *RcloneStorer) Info() Info {
 	location := r.remote

internal/storage/rclone_test.go

@@ -198,6 +198,47 @@ func TestRcloneStorerListSkipsPartialFiles(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+// TestRcloneStorerDeletePartialUploads checks that a temporary file left
+// by a killed upload is removed and the object at the real key is kept.
+//
+//nolint:paralleltest // NewRcloneStorer installs the process-global rclone config
+func TestRcloneStorerDeletePartialUploads(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	ctx := context.Background()
+
+	s, err := storage.NewRcloneStorer(ctx, ":local", dir)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("NewRcloneStorer: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	err = s.Put(ctx, testBlobKey, strings.NewReader("blob-bytes"))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Put: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	leftover := filepath.Join(dir, testBlobKey+"-123456.partial")
+
+	err = os.WriteFile(leftover, []byte("half"), 0o600)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("writing leftover temp file: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	err = s.DeletePartialUploads(ctx, "blobs/")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("DeletePartialUploads: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	_, err = os.Stat(leftover)
+	if !os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		t.Errorf("leftover temp file was not removed: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	_, err = s.Stat(ctx, testBlobKey)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("Stat of the real key: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
 // newRcloneStorerOnWrappedLocal registers name as rclone's local backend
 // wrapped by wrap, and builds an rclone backend on it rooted at a fresh
 // temp directory. wrap changes the features the local backend reports, so

internal/storage/s3.go

@@ -99,6 +99,12 @@ func (s *S3Storer) ListStream(ctx context.Context, prefix string) <-chan ObjectI
 	return ch
 }
 
+// DeletePartialUploads has nothing to remove: S3 shows an object only once
+// its upload has completed, so an upload cut off part-way leaves none.
+func (s *S3Storer) DeletePartialUploads(_ context.Context, _ string) error {
+	return nil
+}
+
 // Info returns human-readable storage location information.
 func (s *S3Storer) Info() Info {
 	return Info{

internal/storage/storer.go

@@ -71,6 +71,12 @@ type Storer interface {
 	// If an error occurs during listing, the final item will have Err set.
 	ListStream(ctx context.Context, prefix string) <-chan ObjectInfo
 
+	// DeletePartialUploads removes every object under prefix that an
+	// upload cut off part-way left under a temporary name ending in
+	// `.partial`. The file and rclone backends' List and ListStream skip
+	// such an object.
+	DeletePartialUploads(ctx context.Context, prefix string) error
+
 	// Info returns human-readable storage location information.
 	Info() Info
 }

internal/vaultik/destination_validation_test.go

@@ -257,6 +257,10 @@ func (s *stubLister) List(_ context.Context, _ string) ([]string, error) {
 	return nil, errStubUnused
 }
 
+func (s *stubLister) DeletePartialUploads(_ context.Context, _ string) error {
+	return errStubUnused
+}
+
 func (s *stubLister) Info() storage.Info {
 	return storage.Info{}
 }

internal/vaultik/helpers.go

@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package vaultik
 import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
+	"math"
 	"regexp"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
@@ -47,6 +48,10 @@ const (
 	year  = 365 * day
 )
 
+// maxDuration is the largest value a time.Duration can hold, about 292
+// years.
+const maxDuration = time.Duration(math.MaxInt64)
+
 // A snapshot ID split on "_" has at least a hostname and a trailing
 // timestamp.
 const minSnapshotIDParts = 2
@@ -145,10 +150,10 @@ func parseSnapshotName(snapshotID, hostname string) string {
 // parseDuration parses a duration string with support for human-friendly units:
 // d/day/days, w/week/weeks, mo/month/months, y/year/years, plus standard Go
 // duration units. Following Go, m is minutes and mo is months. A bare number,
-// an unknown unit, and a negative value are all rejected. Outside the Go
-// units the input must be whole numbers each followed directly by a unit
-// (2w3d), so 1.0y and 30 days are errors; decimals work only in Go units
-// (1.5h).
+// an unknown unit, a negative value, and a total longer than maxDuration are
+// all rejected. Outside the Go units the input must be whole numbers each
+// followed directly by a unit (2w3d), so 1.0y and 30 days are errors;
+// decimals work only in Go units (1.5h).
 func parseDuration(s string) (time.Duration, error) {
 	if strings.HasPrefix(strings.TrimSpace(s), "-") {
 		return 0, errNegativeDuration
@@ -181,19 +186,30 @@ func parseDuration(s string) (time.Duration, error) {
 			return 0, fmt.Errorf("invalid number %q: %w", match[1], err)
 		}
 
+		var unitLength time.Duration
+
 		unit := strings.ToLower(match[2])
 		switch unit {
 		case "d", "day", "days":
-			total += time.Duration(n) * day
+			unitLength = day
 		case "w", "week", "weeks":
-			total += time.Duration(n) * week
+			unitLength = week
 		case "mo", "month", "months":
-			total += time.Duration(n) * month
+			unitLength = month
 		case "y", "year", "years":
-			total += time.Duration(n) * year
+			unitLength = year
 		default:
 			return 0, fmt.Errorf("%w %q", errUnknownTimeUnit, unit)
 		}
+
+		// Past maxDuration the sum wraps to a negative value, which would
+		// put the purge cutoff in the future.
+		if time.Duration(n) > (maxDuration-total)/unitLength {
+			return 0, fmt.Errorf("%w: %q is longer than about 292 years",
+				errInvalidDuration, s)
+		}
+
+		total += time.Duration(n) * unitLength
 	}
 
 	return total, nil

internal/vaultik/helpers_test.go

@@ -111,6 +111,17 @@ func TestParseDuration(t *testing.T) {
 		{"30 days", 0, true},
 		{"30 days ago", 0, true},
 		{"x7d", 0, true},
+		// The largest time.Duration is about 292 years. A larger value
+		// must be rejected, not wrapped to a negative one, which would
+		// put the cutoff in the future and select every snapshot.
+		{"292y", 292 * 365 * 24 * time.Hour, false},
+		{"293y", 0, true},
+		{"3559mo", 0, true},
+		{"15251w", 0, true},
+		{"106752d", 0, true},
+		{"2562048h", 0, true},
+		{"200y200y", 0, true},
+		{"292y6mo", 0, true},
 	}
 
 	for _, tt := range tests {

internal/vaultik/integration_test.go

@@ -155,6 +155,12 @@ func (m *MockStorer) ListStream(
 	return ch
 }
 
+// DeletePartialUploads has nothing to remove: Put stores each object
+// under its key at once.
+func (m *MockStorer) DeletePartialUploads(_ context.Context, _ string) error {
+	return nil
+}
+
 func (m *MockStorer) Info() storage.Info {
 	return storage.Info{
 		Type:     "mock",

internal/vaultik/nuke_remote_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+package vaultik_test
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"io/fs"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+	"sneak.berlin/go/vaultik/internal/log"
+	"sneak.berlin/go/vaultik/internal/snapshot"
+)
+
+// TestNukeRemoteLeavesNoFiles checks that remote nuke leaves no file
+// under a file:// destination, including the `.partial` files uploads
+// killed part-way leave next to a snapshot's metadata and next to where a
+// blob would have been.
+func TestNukeRemoteLeavesNoFiles(t *testing.T) {
+	log.Initialize(log.Config{})
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	storeDir := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "store")
+	v, repos, _ := backUpToFileDestination(ctx, t, storeDir)
+
+	snapshots, err := repos.Snapshots.ListRecent(ctx, listRecentTestLimit)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Len(t, snapshots, 1)
+
+	snapshotKey := snapshot.RemoteSnapshotKey(snapshots[0].ID.String())
+	hash := testBlobHashA
+	leftovers := []string{
+		filepath.Join(storeDir, "metadata", snapshotKey,
+			"db.zst.age-123456.partial"),
+		filepath.Join(storeDir, "blobs", hash[:2], hash[2:4],
+			hash+"-123456.partial"),
+	}
+
+	for _, leftover := range leftovers {
+		require.NoError(t, os.MkdirAll(filepath.Dir(leftover), 0o750))
+		require.NoError(t, os.WriteFile(leftover, []byte("half an upload"), 0o600))
+	}
+
+	require.NoError(t, v.NukeRemote(true))
+
+	var files []string
+
+	err = filepath.WalkDir(storeDir,
+		func(path string, entry fs.DirEntry, err error) error {
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+
+			if !entry.IsDir() {
+				files = append(files, path)
+			}
+
+			return nil
+		})
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.Empty(t, files)
+}

internal/vaultik/prune.go

@@ -24,8 +24,9 @@ var errNukeRequiresForce = errors.New(
 const metadataDirName = "metadata"
 
 // NukeRemote deletes every snapshot's metadata and every blob from remote
-// storage. After this returns successfully the bucket prefix is empty and
-// the next backup starts from scratch.
+// storage, along with any object an upload cut off part-way left under a
+// temporary `.partial` name. After this returns successfully the bucket
+// prefix is empty and the next backup starts from scratch.
 //
 // Refuses to run unless force is true. The caller is responsible for
 // confirming with the user.
@@ -48,6 +49,15 @@ func (v *Vaultik) NukeRemote(force bool) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("pruning blobs: %w", err)
 	}
 
+	// The file and rclone listings skip `.partial` objects, so the two
+	// steps above never delete them.
+	for _, prefix := range []string{"metadata/", "blobs/"} {
+		err = v.Storage.DeletePartialUploads(v.ctx, prefix)
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("deleting partial uploads: %w", err)
+		}
+	}
+
 	v.UI.Completef("Backup destination store is now empty.")
 
 	return nil

internal/vaultik/purge_per_name_test.go

@@ -267,6 +267,29 @@ func TestPurgeOlderThan_WithNameFilter(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Contains(t, remaining, snapHomeT0)
 }
 
+func TestPurgeOlderThan_TooLargeDeletesNothing(t *testing.T) {
+	log.Initialize(log.Config{})
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	snapshotIDs := []string{snapHomeT0, snapHomeT1}
+
+	v := setupPurgeTest(t, snapHostname, snapshotIDs)
+
+	err := v.PurgeSnapshotsWithOptions(&vaultik.SnapshotPurgeOptions{
+		OlderThan: "1000y",
+		Force:     true,
+	})
+	require.Error(t, err)
+
+	err = v.PurgeSnapshotsWithOptions(&vaultik.SnapshotPurgeOptions{
+		OlderThan: "292y",
+		Force:     true,
+	})
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	assert.ElementsMatch(t, snapshotIDs, listRemainingSnapshots(t, v))
+}
+
 func TestPurgeKeepLatest_ThreeNames(t *testing.T) {
 	log.Initialize(log.Config{})
 	t.Parallel()

internal/vaultik/remove_snapshot_test.go

@@ -125,6 +125,12 @@ func (s *testStorer) ListStream(
 	return ch
 }
 
+// DeletePartialUploads has nothing to remove: Put stores each object
+// under its key at once.
+func (s *testStorer) DeletePartialUploads(_ context.Context, _ string) error {
+	return nil
+}
+
 func (s *testStorer) Info() storage.Info {
 	return storage.Info{
 		Type:     testLabel,

internal/vaultik/snapshot_skip_errors_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+package vaultik_test
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"fmt"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/spf13/afero"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+	"sneak.berlin/go/vaultik/internal/config"
+	"sneak.berlin/go/vaultik/internal/database"
+	"sneak.berlin/go/vaultik/internal/log"
+	"sneak.berlin/go/vaultik/internal/storage"
+	"sneak.berlin/go/vaultik/internal/vaultik"
+)
+
+// --skip-errors skips only a file that cannot be opened or read. A local
+// index error while a directory is recorded stops the backup, and the
+// snapshot is not recorded as complete. See
+// https://git.eeqj.de/sneak/vaultik/issues/284.
+func TestSkipErrorsBackupStopsOnIndexErrorRecordingDirectory(t *testing.T) {
+	log.Initialize(log.Config{})
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	ctx := context.Background()
+
+	// The scan walks the source path with symlinks resolved, so dirPath
+	// must be spelled the same way to match the row the scan inserts.
+	tempDir, err := filepath.EvalSymlinks(t.TempDir())
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	srcDir := filepath.Join(tempDir, "src")
+	dirPath := filepath.Join(srcDir, "dir")
+
+	fs := afero.NewOsFs()
+	require.NoError(t, fs.MkdirAll(dirPath, 0o755))
+	require.NoError(t, afero.WriteFile(fs,
+		filepath.Join(dirPath, "file.txt"), []byte("file content"), 0o644))
+
+	cfg := faultTestConfig()
+	cfg.IndexPath = filepath.Join(tempDir, "index.sqlite")
+	cfg.Snapshots = map[string]config.SnapshotConfig{
+		"tree": {Paths: []string{srcDir}},
+	}
+
+	store, err := storage.NewFileStorer(filepath.Join(tempDir, "remote"))
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	db, err := database.New(ctx, cfg.IndexPath)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	t.Cleanup(func() { _ = db.Close() })
+
+	// The local index refuses the directory's files row.
+	_, err = db.Conn().ExecContext(ctx, fmt.Sprintf(`
+		CREATE TRIGGER refuse_directory BEFORE INSERT ON files
+		WHEN NEW.path = '%s'
+		BEGIN SELECT RAISE(ABORT, 'simulated index error'); END`, dirPath))
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	repos := database.NewRepositories(db)
+	v := newBackupVaultik(ctx, cfg, store, repos, db, fs)
+
+	err = v.CreateSnapshot(&vaultik.SnapshotCreateOptions{
+		SkipErrors: true,
+		Snapshots:  []string{"tree"},
+	})
+	require.ErrorContains(t, err, "simulated index error")
+
+	snapshots, err := repos.Snapshots.ListRecent(ctx, listRecentTestLimit)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Len(t, snapshots, 1)
+	assert.Nil(t, snapshots[0].CompletedAt)
+}

internal/vaultik/symlinked_destination_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+package vaultik_test
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"io/fs"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+	"sneak.berlin/go/vaultik/internal/log"
+	"sneak.berlin/go/vaultik/internal/vaultik"
+)
+
+// TestPruneDeletesNothingThroughSymlinkedDirectory checks that prune keeps
+// every blob and the local snapshot record when the metadata/ or blobs/
+// directory of a file:// destination is a symlink to a directory elsewhere
+// (https://git.eeqj.de/sneak/vaultik/issues/296). A backup writes through
+// such a link, so prune has to list through it too.
+func TestPruneDeletesNothingThroughSymlinkedDirectory(t *testing.T) {
+	log.Initialize(log.Config{})
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	for _, dir := range []string{"metadata", "blobs"} {
+		t.Run(dir, func(t *testing.T) {
+			t.Parallel()
+
+			ctx := context.Background()
+			storeDir := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "store")
+			v, repos, _ := backUpToFileDestination(ctx, t, storeDir)
+
+			var blobFiles []string
+
+			err := filepath.WalkDir(filepath.Join(storeDir, "blobs"),
+				func(path string, entry fs.DirEntry, err error) error {
+					if err == nil && !entry.IsDir() {
+						blobFiles = append(blobFiles, path)
+					}
+
+					return err
+				})
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			require.NotEmpty(t, blobFiles)
+
+			linkPath := filepath.Join(storeDir, dir)
+			movedPath := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), dir)
+			require.NoError(t, os.Rename(linkPath, movedPath))
+			require.NoError(t, os.Symlink(movedPath, linkPath))
+
+			require.NoError(t, v.Prune(&vaultik.PruneOptions{Force: true}))
+
+			// When blobs/ is the link, these paths run through it.
+			for _, blobFile := range blobFiles {
+				assert.FileExists(t, blobFile, "prune must delete no blob")
+			}
+
+			snapshots, err := repos.Snapshots.ListRecent(ctx, listRecentTestLimit)
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			assert.Len(t, snapshots, 1, "prune must delete no local snapshot record")
+		})
+	}
+}