# 58P03 — file_name_too_long

> Source-backed full reference for PostgreSQL SQLSTATE 58P03.
---

# 58P03

## At a glance {#at-a-glance}

`58P03` is selected by PostgreSQL's file-access errno helper when the saved OS errno is `ENAMETOOLONG`. It is not a standalone fixed primary such as `file name too long`: the caller supplies a `%m` message, and the helper supplies the SQLSTATE.

<!-- BEGIN SQLSTATE FACTS: generated by scripts/generate.py; do not edit -->

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| SQLSTATE | `58P03` |
| Condition | `file_name_too_long` |
| Status | `active` |
| Known present by | `18.0` |
| Locked snapshots | `18.6, 19beta3` |
| Macros | `ERRCODE_FILE_NAME_TOO_LONG` |
| Aliases | `—` |

<!-- source facts: data/errcodes/58P03.json -->
<!-- END SQLSTATE FACTS -->

## Meaning {#meaning}

`errcode_for_file_access()` maps `ENAMETOOLONG` to `ERRCODE_FILE_NAME_TOO_LONG`. The same complete switch maps `ENOENT` to `58P01`, `EEXIST` to `58P02`, `ENOSPC` to `53100`, and `EIO` to `58030`; all other errno values may map elsewhere. The helper explicitly expects the caller's primary message to retain `%m`, so the OS text and locale are part of the useful diagnosis.

Fixed 18.6 backend callers include the base-backup sink's `could not access directory "%s": %m` and the tablespace path's `could not set permissions on directory "%s": %m`, both emitted with `ERROR` before the helper chooses the code. These examples show why the operation context matters: the same SQLSTATE can arise from different file operations, while a file-name failure in another caller may carry a different primary template.

## Messages {#messages}

- **ERROR**, representative base-backup primary: `could not access directory "%s": %m`.
- **ERROR**, representative tablespace primary: `could not set permissions on directory "%s": %m`.
- The `%m` expansion is the saved OS error text; when it is `ENAMETOOLONG`, `errcode_for_file_access()` supplies SQLSTATE `58P03`.

There is no fixed source-backed `58P03` primary independent of the caller in this review. Do not replace `%m` with an invented English sentence or infer an extension's message from the condition name.

## Diagnosis {#diagnosis}

Capture the complete primary/detail/context, the operation and component, the full path, operating-system errno, filesystem limits, encoding, and any PostgreSQL object-name mapping. Distinguish a filesystem component limit from PostgreSQL's identifier limits, and distinguish the helper's `ENAMETOOLONG` branch from `ENOENT`, `EEXIST`, disk-full, and I/O branches. The fixed source confirms the helper and representative callers; it does not claim a natural reproduction on a particular host.

## Response {#response}

Use a path and name accepted by the owning component and filesystem, or relocate the target while preserving a durable mapping. For a client `ERROR` in an explicit transaction, `ROLLBACK` or an existing savepoint is required before continuing; fix the path and retry the affected operation, not arbitrary unrelated statements. A startup/background caller may have no client transaction, and a terminated backend requires a new connection. Preserve the original OS detail when escalating the issue.

## Versions {#versions}

The locked catalogue records `58P03` from 18.0; fixed helper and caller coverage is PostgreSQL 18.6. The page is source-reviewed only and has no natural runtime claim.

## Related {#related}

[`58P01`](../58p01/), [`58P02`](../58p02/), [`58030`](../58030/)

## Sources {#sources}

[`src/backend/utils/error/elog.c#L867-L942`](https://github.com/postgres/postgres/blob/724edf9bde9d356724ad384a2e196edc3c9f80f7/src/backend/utils/error/elog.c#L867)

[`src/backend/backup/basebackup_server.c#L119-L124`](https://github.com/postgres/postgres/blob/724edf9bde9d356724ad384a2e196edc3c9f80f7/src/backend/backup/basebackup_server.c#L119)

[`src/backend/commands/tablespace.c#L606-L618`](https://github.com/postgres/postgres/blob/724edf9bde9d356724ad384a2e196edc3c9f80f7/src/backend/commands/tablespace.c#L606)

The structured [evidence record](../data/evidence/58p03.json) records the errno mapping, representative primaries, and source/runtime boundary.