---
id: "bug-1937"
status: "fixed"
status_updated: "2026-10-10"
status_note: ""
component: "worker"
severity: "wrong-result"
timestamp: "2026-10-10T08:14:38Z"
last_seen: "2026-10-10T08:14:38Z"
occurrences: 1
files: ["src/frontend/apiserver/controllers/jobs.go", "src/worker/src/xcecd_exdata.c"]
tags: ["apiserver", "worker", "exdata", "file-transfer"]
related: []
fix_commits: ["b9747ad2"]
gitea_issue: 368
gitea_synced_status: "fixed"
gitea_synced_hash: "9d09c2947036"
---

# bug-1937: apiserver writes job file transfers under 'transfer_files' but the worker parses 'transfer_file'

## Description
**Observed:** (source reading, `.kiro/reviews/project-gap-review-2026-10-10.md` (P0); to be confirmed by a failing test before the fix)
The apiserver serialises transfers as `extendDataMap["transfer_files"]` (`src/frontend/apiserver/controllers/jobs.go:1923`) while the worker looks for:
```c
else if (strcmp(key, "transfer_file") == 0) {   /* xcecd_exdata.c:115 */
```

**Expected:** Both sides use one key, so transfers in exdata are parsed.
**Impact:** Wrong result once exdata reaches the worker: file transfers are silently ignored.
**Found by:** review: `.kiro/reviews/project-gap-review-2026-10-10.md` (P0)
## Environment
- OS: no /etc/os-release; Docker container; NixOS kernel; kernel Linux 6.18.33 x86_64
- libc: glibc 2.42-47 (interpreter /nix/store/wb6rhpznjfczwlwx23zmdrrw74bayxw4-glibc-2.42-47/lib/ld-linux-x86-64.so.2)
- Toolchain: gcc (GCC) 15.2.0, meson 1.9.1
- Build: asan (xce.build)
- Code: scheduler-framework @ 94472ee3-dirty
- Deployment: any (found by source reading; the failing test that confirms it is named in Verification)

## Reproduction
1. Read the two sites above; or unit-test `parse_exdata()` with the JSON the apiserver produces: `transfer_info->ops` stays empty.
- Frequency: deterministic (by code reading; confirmed by the RED test of the fix)
- Evidence: the code sites quoted in Description; no logs kept.
## Root cause
`parse_exdata()` (`src/worker/src/xcecd_exdata.c`) matched only `"transfer_file"`, the apiserver writes `"transfer_files"`. Pre-existing.

## Fix
`xcecd_exdata.c`: accepts `"transfer_files"` and still `"transfer_file"`; when both are present the first list is kept (no leak). Stage-in/out itself remains unimplemented (future spec).

## Verification
- Test: `test_apiserver_transfer_files_parsed` (`src/worker/testsuite/test_exdata_parse.c`): RED `test_exdata_parse.c:73: ... FAIL: Expected 2 Was 0`, GREEN after (5 tests, 0 failures).
- Suites: `xce-build.sh all asan xce.build --incremental` on the merged branch, 2026-10-10: all C suites Ok 155 / Fail 0, frontend Go unit tests ok, xceadmin tests ok; apiserver `CGO_ENABLED=0 go test ./...` (incl. middleware, router, cmd) ok
- Live: n/a: unit/fixture-level verification only; no live deployment was run (follow-up)

## References
- Fix commit: `b9747ad2` (on `scheduler-framework`; worker-branch original in the merge)
- Review: `.kiro/reviews/project-gap-review-2026-10-10.md`