[Duplicity-talk] duplicity remove-older-than removes too much

[Andrew Pimlott]

I recently ran duplicity remove-older-than, and it seems to have deleted
a lot more files than it should have.  Can anyone explain what might
have happened?

Specifically, I ran this command on October 14, where I have removed my
real archive name and cloud files bucket:

/root/backup/duplicity remove-older-than 12W --force 
--archive-dir=/var/cache/duplicity --name <NAME> cf+http://<BUCKET>

The first part of the output is as expected:

Local and Remote metadata are synchronized, no sync needed.
Last full backup date: Sat Sep 18 10:00:01 2010
Deleting backup sets at times:
Fri Jun 25 00:52:18 2010
Fri Jun 25 00:58:29 2010
Fri Jun 25 01:00:00 2010
Thu Jul  1 10:00:02 2010
Fri Jul  2 10:00:01 2010
Sat Jul  3 10:00:01 2010
Sun Jul  4 10:00:01 2010
Mon Jul  5 10:00:01 2010
Tue Jul  6 10:00:01 2010
Wed Jul  7 10:00:01 2010
Thu Jul  8 10:00:01 2010
Fri Jul  9 10:00:01 2010
Sat Jul 10 10:00:01 2010
Sun Jul 11 10:00:01 2010
Mon Jul 12 10:00:02 2010
Tue Jul 13 10:00:01 2010
Wed Jul 14 10:00:02 2010
Thu Jul 15 10:00:01 2010
Fri Jul 16 10:00:01 2010
Sat Jul 17 10:00:02 2010
Sun Jul 18 10:00:01 2010
Mon Jul 19 10:00:02 2010
Tue Jul 20 10:00:01 2010
Wed Jul 21 10:00:01 2010
Thu Jul 22 10:00:01 2010

But then it goes about deleting files that come from later backups:

Deleting these files from backend:
duplicity-full-signatures.20100723T100001Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-new-signatures.20100723T100001Z.to.20100724T100001Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-new-signatures.20100724T100001Z.to.20100725T100001Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-new-signatures.20100725T100001Z.to.20100726T100001Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-new-signatures.20100726T100001Z.to.20100727T100001Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-new-signatures.20100727T100001Z.to.20100728T100001Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-new-signatures.20100728T100001Z.to.20100729T100002Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-new-signatures.20100729T100002Z.to.20100730T100001Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-new-signatures.20100730T100001Z.to.20100731T100001Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-new-signatures.20100731T100001Z.to.20100801T100001Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-new-signatures.20100801T100001Z.to.20100802T100001Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-new-signatures.20100802T100001Z.to.20100803T100002Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-new-signatures.20100803T100002Z.to.20100804T100001Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-new-signatures.20100804T100001Z.to.20100805T100001Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-new-signatures.20100805T100001Z.to.20100806T100001Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-new-signatures.20100806T100001Z.to.20100807T100001Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-new-signatures.20100807T100001Z.to.20100808T100001Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-new-signatures.20100808T100001Z.to.20100809T100001Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-new-signatures.20100809T100001Z.to.20100810T100001Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-new-signatures.20100810T100001Z.to.20100811T100001Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-new-signatures.20100811T100001Z.to.20100812T100002Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-new-signatures.20100812T100002Z.to.20100813T100001Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-new-signatures.20100813T100001Z.to.20100814T100002Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-new-signatures.20100814T100002Z.to.20100815T100001Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-new-signatures.20100815T100001Z.to.20100816T100002Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-new-signatures.20100816T100002Z.to.20100817T100002Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-new-signatures.20100817T100002Z.to.20100818T100001Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-new-signatures.20100818T100001Z.to.20100819T100001Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-full-signatures.20100820T100002Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-new-signatures.20100820T100002Z.to.20100821T100002Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-new-signatures.20100821T100002Z.to.20100822T100001Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-new-signatures.20100822T100001Z.to.20100823T100001Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-new-signatures.20100823T100001Z.to.20100824T100001Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-new-signatures.20100824T100001Z.to.20100825T100001Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-new-signatures.20100825T100001Z.to.20100826T100001Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-new-signatures.20100826T100001Z.to.20100827T100001Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-new-signatures.20100827T100001Z.to.20100828T100004Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-new-signatures.20100828T100004Z.to.20100829T100002Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-new-signatures.20100829T100002Z.to.20100830T100001Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-new-signatures.20100830T100001Z.to.20100831T100001Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-new-signatures.20100831T100001Z.to.20100901T100001Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-new-signatures.20100901T100001Z.to.20100902T100003Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-new-signatures.20100902T100003Z.to.20100902T192914Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-new-signatures.20100902T192914Z.to.20100903T100001Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-new-signatures.20100903T100001Z.to.20100904T100001Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-new-signatures.20100904T100001Z.to.20100905T100001Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-new-signatures.20100905T100001Z.to.20100906T100001Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-new-signatures.20100906T100001Z.to.20100907T100002Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-new-signatures.20100907T100002Z.to.20100908T100002Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-new-signatures.20100908T100002Z.to.20100909T100002Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-new-signatures.20100909T100002Z.to.20100910T100001Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-new-signatures.20100910T100001Z.to.20100911T100001Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-new-signatures.20100911T100001Z.to.20100912T100001Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-new-signatures.20100912T100001Z.to.20100913T100001Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-new-signatures.20100913T100001Z.to.20100914T100001Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-new-signatures.20100914T100001Z.to.20100915T100001Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-new-signatures.20100915T100001Z.to.20100916T100001Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-new-signatures.20100916T100001Z.to.20100917T100002Z.sigtar.gz
duplicity-full-signatures.20100625T005218Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100625T005218Z.to.20100625T005829Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100625T005829Z.to.20100625T010000Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100625T010000Z.to.20100701T100002Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100701T100002Z.to.20100702T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100702T100001Z.to.20100703T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100703T100001Z.to.20100704T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100704T100001Z.to.20100705T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100705T100001Z.to.20100706T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100706T100001Z.to.20100707T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100707T100001Z.to.20100708T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100708T100001Z.to.20100709T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100709T100001Z.to.20100710T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100710T100001Z.to.20100711T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100711T100001Z.to.20100712T100002Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100712T100002Z.to.20100713T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100713T100001Z.to.20100714T100002Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100714T100002Z.to.20100715T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100715T100001Z.to.20100716T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100716T100001Z.to.20100717T100002Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100717T100002Z.to.20100718T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100718T100001Z.to.20100719T100002Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100719T100002Z.to.20100720T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100720T100001Z.to.20100721T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100721T100001Z.to.20100722T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-full-signatures.20100723T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100723T100001Z.to.20100724T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100724T100001Z.to.20100725T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100725T100001Z.to.20100726T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100726T100001Z.to.20100727T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100727T100001Z.to.20100728T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100728T100001Z.to.20100729T100002Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100729T100002Z.to.20100730T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100730T100001Z.to.20100731T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100731T100001Z.to.20100801T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100801T100001Z.to.20100802T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100802T100001Z.to.20100803T100002Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100803T100002Z.to.20100804T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100804T100001Z.to.20100805T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100805T100001Z.to.20100806T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100806T100001Z.to.20100807T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100807T100001Z.to.20100808T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100808T100001Z.to.20100809T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100809T100001Z.to.20100810T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100810T100001Z.to.20100811T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100811T100001Z.to.20100812T100002Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100812T100002Z.to.20100813T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100813T100001Z.to.20100814T100002Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100814T100002Z.to.20100815T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100815T100001Z.to.20100816T100002Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100816T100002Z.to.20100817T100002Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100817T100002Z.to.20100818T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100818T100001Z.to.20100819T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-full-signatures.20100820T100002Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100820T100002Z.to.20100821T100002Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100821T100002Z.to.20100822T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100822T100001Z.to.20100823T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100823T100001Z.to.20100824T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100824T100001Z.to.20100825T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100825T100001Z.to.20100826T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100826T100001Z.to.20100827T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100827T100001Z.to.20100828T100004Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100828T100004Z.to.20100829T100002Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100829T100002Z.to.20100830T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100830T100001Z.to.20100831T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100831T100001Z.to.20100901T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100901T100001Z.to.20100902T100003Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100902T100003Z.to.20100902T192914Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100902T192914Z.to.20100903T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100903T100001Z.to.20100904T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100904T100001Z.to.20100905T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100905T100001Z.to.20100906T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100906T100001Z.to.20100907T100002Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100907T100002Z.to.20100908T100002Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100908T100002Z.to.20100909T100002Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100909T100002Z.to.20100910T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100910T100001Z.to.20100911T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100911T100001Z.to.20100912T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100912T100001Z.to.20100913T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100913T100001Z.to.20100914T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100914T100001Z.to.20100915T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100915T100001Z.to.20100916T100001Z.sigtar.gpg
duplicity-new-signatures.20100916T100001Z.to.20100917T100002Z.sigtar.gpg

I note it lists the expected backups in the range it said it would
delete (06-25 to 07-22), but it lists them after the later ones, as if
it thought they were earlier.  Could it by any chance be because my
back-end (cloud files) doesn't list things in order?

Also, this operation ended in a crash because cloud files exceeded the
timeout in a delete operation and duplicity does not retry.  I don't
think this has anything to do with the current problem, but I thought
I'd mention it.

Andrew