Re: [Outreachy][PATCH] abspath: reconcile `dir_exists()` and `is_directory()`

From: Jeff King <peff@peff.net>
Date: Oct 24, 2019, 20:51 UTC
Message-ID: <20191024205100.GB30715@sigill.intra.peff.net>
In-Reply-To: <20191024204500.GG9323@google.com>

On Thu, Oct 24, 2019 at 01:45:00PM -0700, Emily Shaffer wrote:

Show 12 quoted lines

> > Yes, that's the reason for the funny name (and the fact that it was
> > never re-factored to use is_directory() in the first place). There's
> > some more discussion in:
> > 
> >   https://public-inbox.org/git/xmqqbmi9dw55.fsf@gitster.mtv.corp.google.com/
> > 
> > and its subthread.
> 
> Hm. Then, is the solution to use dir_exists() for "a directory exists
> here" and also add path_exists() for "literally anything exists here"?
> That seems like it's still a pretty minor change. It'd be nice to
> un-stick our Outreachy applicant :)

Yeah, I think one path forward could be:

  - add path_exists(); this will work the same as file_exists(), but is
    a better name. Keep file_exists() for now, but put a comment that
    new calls should use path_exists().

  - use path_exists() in builtin/clone.c, ditching its custom
    dir_exists()

  - (optional) start converting file_exists() calls to path_exists(),
    after confirming what each call wants (just files, or any path)

    I one really does want to check for a regular file, then we'd need
    to figure out what the "does this regular file exist" function is
    called. I have a suspicion that there won't be any such callers, so
    we can punt on it until then.

-Peff