# File.size? incorrect for big files? **URL:** \ **Category:** Ruby\ **Created:** [March 13, 2008, 8:00pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/file-size-incorrect-for-big-files/131847 "2008-03-13T20:00:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![NationS\_Carey](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/87869e/32.png) [@NationS\_Carey](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/NationS_Carey)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2008, 8:00pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/file-size-incorrect-for-big-files/131847/1 "2008-03-13T20:00:42Z")
Hi, I’ve written a script to monitor some files stored on our network. The files range from a few hundred MB to 20-50g. Above a certain point which I haven’t really narrowed down yet, the file sizes start being reported incorrectly from my script. It’s as if the routine that does the system query is using a 32 bit thing for the size and it’s getting truncated as integers do. Some files actually come back with a negative size. The data type that ruby is using is perfectly capable of holding the size of the files. I’ve tried File.size? and FileUtils.size?, so I’m somewhat at a loss short of writing an extension. Any ideas? The script is running on windows, querying the files via UNC paths through a samba share on linux. Thanks! * * * Carey Nation [mailto:removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) Lead Software Engineer CNN BEST Broadcast Production Systems Video Solutions Group (404)827-2935 (wk) (404)824-0033 (cell) ---
**Author:** ![NationS\_Carey](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/87869e/32.png) [@NationS\_Carey](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/NationS_Carey)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2008, 8:18pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/file-size-incorrect-for-big-files/131847/2 "2008-03-13T20:18:26Z")
Some versions, maybe all, of the windows libraries have a bug in File.size. Make sure you have the latest win32 gems, it seems to help. The ‘gem outdated’ and ‘gem update’ commands can help. The only bug I’ve seen is on moderately sized files where the ruby code closes the file then immediately checks the file size. It came back as zero. I worked around it several versions ago, so my info is not as of today. ---
**Author:** ![NationS\_Carey](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/87869e/32.png) [@NationS\_Carey](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/NationS_Carey)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2008, 8:35pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/file-size-incorrect-for-big-files/131847/3 "2008-03-13T20:35:33Z")
On Mar 13, 12:59 pm, “Nation, Carey” [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > I’m somewhat at a loss short of writing an extension. Any ideas? > > The script is running on windows, querying the files via UNC paths > through a samba share on linux. It’s a bug in Ruby. The win32-file library fixes it. require ‘win32/file’ # Do this first File.size(some\_big\_file) Regards, Dan ---
**Author:** ![NationS\_Carey](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/87869e/32.png) [@NationS\_Carey](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/NationS_Carey)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 7:18am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/file-size-incorrect-for-big-files/131847/4 "2008-03-14T07:18:57Z")
Hi, At Fri, 14 Mar 2008 03:59:30 +0900, Nation, Carey wrote in [ruby-talk:294466]: > The script is running on windows, querying the files via UNC paths > through a samba share on linux. Microsoft Visual C’s runtime doesn’t support large files, so ruby compiled with it also doesn’t. Ruby 1.9 replaces some functions to fix it. ---
**Author:** ![NationS\_Carey](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/87869e/32.png) [@NationS\_Carey](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/NationS_Carey)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 5:09pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/file-size-incorrect-for-big-files/131847/5 "2008-03-14T17:09:20Z")
That did it! Thanks!