Changing the filename casing on vaults stored in FAT partition fails

This is a case sensitive issue but I only was able to replicate it on my usb flash drive, on my laptop running linux it didn’t happen.

Steps to reproduce

  1. Create a file, let’s call it ‘readme’

  2. Rename it by inverting at least one character case, let’s say ‘Readme’

  3. Change the name name to something different, ‘test’

  4. If I modify the content of the file after number 2, the file dissapears from the selection bar on the left (sorry english is not my mother tongue I don’t know how to call it), it appears again if I close and open obsidian but with the original name.

Expected result

The file <readme.md> is renamed to <Readme.md> and then <test.md>

Actual result

The filename <readme.md> doesn’t change but it changes on the upper part of the window. Then when the file is changed to something different the file <readme.md> is conserved and the file <test.md> is created also.

Environment

  • Operating system: Ubuntu linux 18.04.6
  • Debug info:

SYSTEM INFO:
Obsidian version: v0.14.2
Installer version: v0.13.30
Operating system: #119~18.04.1-Ubuntu SMP Tue Mar 8 11:21:24 UTC 2022 5.4.0-105-generic
Login status: not logged in
Insider build toggle: off
Live preview: on
Legacy editor: off
Base theme: light
Community theme: none
Snippets enabled: 0
Safe mode: on

RECOMMENDATIONS:
none


Additional information

Your vault on the linux laptop is likely on an ext4, case-sensitive filesystem. Run this to see what filesystems you have and their format.

df -T

Your USB flash drive is likely formatted for FAT32 and is case insensitive. So making a case-only change to the filename probably isn’t making it to the storage. The issue is likely the filesystem you have on your USB flash drive.

1 Like

I agree that’s the problem, indeed my linux partition is ext4 and my USB flash drive is exfat. But I mean, there should be a fix for this problem, detect the filesystem and act accordingly on how the file is renamed. Before I realize what was causing the issue, I was getting really angry thinking a fairly important file had just disappeared due to something as what I describe in step number 4.

I can’t reproduce this on windows with fat32 partition.

Post a screen recording of this happening on a new vault.

Ok I managed to reproduce something. We’ll look into it.

1 Like