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wed 2026-10-07 18:07 UTC

[PATCH v2 07/18] mingw: factor out the retry logic

From
Karsten Blees via GitGitGadget <gitgitgadget@gmail.com>
Date
Jan 9, 2026, 20:05 UTC
Message-ID
<4aeccd6656a106e537bad73c0f1c8c8c2c34992a.1767989115.git.gitgitgadget@gmail.com>
In-Reply-To
<pull.2018.v2.git.1767989115.gitgitgadget@gmail.com>
From: Karsten Blees <karsten.blees@gmail.com>

In several places, Git's Windows-specific code follows the pattern where it tries to perform an operation, and retries several times when that operation fails, sleeping an increasing amount of time, before finally giving up and asking the user whether to rety (after, say, closing an editor that held a handle to a file, preventing the operation from succeeding).

This logic is a bit hard to use, and inconsistent: `mingw_unlink()` and `mingw_rmdir()` duplicate the code to retry, and both of them do so incompletely. They also do not restore `errno` if the user answers 'no'.

Introduce a `retry_ask_yes_no()` helper function that handles retry with small delay, asking the user, and restoring `errno`.

Note that in `mingw_unlink()`, we include the `_wchmod()` call in the retry loop (which may fail if the file is locked exclusively).

In `mingw_rmdir()`, we include special error handling in the retry loop.
Signed-off-by: Karsten Blees <karsten.blees@gmail.com>
Signed-off-by: Johannes Schindelin <johannes.schindelin@gmx.de>
---
 compat/mingw.c | 104 ++++++++++++++++++++++---------------------------
 1 file changed, 46 insertions(+), 58 deletions(-)
diff --git a/compat/mingw.c b/compat/mingw.c
index c7571951dc..26e64c6a5a 100644
--- a/compat/mingw.c
+++ b/compat/mingw.c
@@ -28,8 +28,6 @@
 
 #define HCAST(type, handle) ((type)(intptr_t)handle)
 
-static const int delay[] = { 0, 1, 10, 20, 40 };
-
 void open_in_gdb(void)
 {
 	static struct child_process cp = CHILD_PROCESS_INIT;
@@ -205,15 +203,12 @@ static int read_yes_no_answer(void)
 	return -1;
 }
 
-static int ask_yes_no_if_possible(const char *format, ...)
+static int ask_yes_no_if_possible(const char *format, va_list args)
 {
 	char question[4096];
 	const char *retry_hook;
-	va_list args;
 
-	va_start(args, format);
 	vsnprintf(question, sizeof(question), format, args);
-	va_end(args);
 
 	retry_hook = mingw_getenv("GIT_ASK_YESNO");
 	if (retry_hook) {
@@ -238,6 +233,31 @@ static int ask_yes_no_if_possible(const char *format, ...)
 	}
 }
 
+static int retry_ask_yes_no(int *tries, const char *format, ...)
+{
+	static const int delay[] = { 0, 1, 10, 20, 40 };
+	va_list args;
+	int result, saved_errno = errno;
+
+	if ((*tries) < ARRAY_SIZE(delay)) {
+		/*
+		 * We assume that some other process had the file open at the wrong
+		 * moment and retry. In order to give the other process a higher
+		 * chance to complete its operation, we give up our time slice now.
+		 * If we have to retry again, we do sleep a bit.
+		 */
+		Sleep(delay[*tries]);
+		(*tries)++;
+		return 1;
+	}
+
+	va_start(args, format);
+	result = ask_yes_no_if_possible(format, args);
+	va_end(args);
+	errno = saved_errno;
+	return result;
+}
+
 /* Windows only */
 enum hide_dotfiles_type {
 	HIDE_DOTFILES_FALSE = 0,
@@ -298,7 +318,7 @@ static wchar_t *normalize_ntpath(wchar_t *wbuf)
 
 int mingw_unlink(const char *pathname, int handle_in_use_error)
 {
-	int ret, tries = 0;
+	int tries = 0;
 	wchar_t wpathname[MAX_PATH];
 	if (xutftowcs_path(wpathname, pathname) < 0)
 		return -1;
@@ -306,29 +326,19 @@ int mingw_unlink(const char *pathname, int handle_in_use_error)
 	if (DeleteFileW(wpathname))
 		return 0;
 
-	/* read-only files cannot be removed */
-	_wchmod(wpathname, 0666);
-	while ((ret = _wunlink(wpathname)) == -1 && tries < ARRAY_SIZE(delay)) {
+	do {
+		/* read-only files cannot be removed */
+		_wchmod(wpathname, 0666);
+		if (!_wunlink(wpathname))
+			return 0;
 		if (!is_file_in_use_error(GetLastError()))
 			break;
 		if (!handle_in_use_error)
-			return ret;
+			return -1;
 
-		/*
-		 * We assume that some other process had the source or
-		 * destination file open at the wrong moment and retry.
-		 * In order to give the other process a higher chance to
-		 * complete its operation, we give up our time slice now.
-		 * If we have to retry again, we do sleep a bit.
-		 */
-		Sleep(delay[tries]);
-		tries++;
-	}
-	while (ret == -1 && is_file_in_use_error(GetLastError()) &&
-	       ask_yes_no_if_possible("Unlink of file '%s' failed. "
-			"Should I try again?", pathname))
-	       ret = _wunlink(wpathname);
-	return ret;
+	} while (retry_ask_yes_no(&tries, "Unlink of file '%s' failed. "
+			"Should I try again?", pathname));
+	return -1;
 }
 
 static int is_dir_empty(const wchar_t *wpath)
@@ -355,7 +365,7 @@ static int is_dir_empty(const wchar_t *wpath)
 
 int mingw_rmdir(const char *pathname)
 {
-	int ret, tries = 0;
+	int tries = 0;
 	wchar_t wpathname[MAX_PATH];
 	struct stat st;
 
@@ -381,7 +391,11 @@ int mingw_rmdir(const char *pathname)
 	if (xutftowcs_path(wpathname, pathname) < 0)
 		return -1;
 
-	while ((ret = _wrmdir(wpathname)) == -1 && tries < ARRAY_SIZE(delay)) {
+	do {
+		if (!_wrmdir(wpathname)) {
+			invalidate_lstat_cache();
+			return 0;
+		}
 		if (!is_file_in_use_error(GetLastError()))
 			errno = err_win_to_posix(GetLastError());
 		if (errno != EACCES)
@@ -390,23 +404,9 @@ int mingw_rmdir(const char *pathname)
 			errno = ENOTEMPTY;
 			break;
 		}
-		/*
-		 * We assume that some other process had the source or
-		 * destination file open at the wrong moment and retry.
-		 * In order to give the other process a higher chance to
-		 * complete its operation, we give up our time slice now.
-		 * If we have to retry again, we do sleep a bit.
-		 */
-		Sleep(delay[tries]);
-		tries++;
-	}
-	while (ret == -1 && errno == EACCES && is_file_in_use_error(GetLastError()) &&
-	       ask_yes_no_if_possible("Deletion of directory '%s' failed. "
-			"Should I try again?", pathname))
-	       ret = _wrmdir(wpathname);
-	if (!ret)
-		invalidate_lstat_cache();
-	return ret;
+	} while (retry_ask_yes_no(&tries, "Deletion of directory '%s' failed. "
+			"Should I try again?", pathname));
+	return -1;
 }
 
 static inline int needs_hiding(const char *path)
@@ -2384,20 +2384,8 @@ repeat:
 			SetFileAttributesW(wpnew, attrs);
 		}
 	}
-	if (tries < ARRAY_SIZE(delay) && gle == ERROR_ACCESS_DENIED) {
-		/*
-		 * We assume that some other process had the source or
-		 * destination file open at the wrong moment and retry.
-		 * In order to give the other process a higher chance to
-		 * complete its operation, we give up our time slice now.
-		 * If we have to retry again, we do sleep a bit.
-		 */
-		Sleep(delay[tries]);
-		tries++;
-		goto repeat;
-	}
 	if (gle == ERROR_ACCESS_DENIED &&
-	       ask_yes_no_if_possible("Rename from '%s' to '%s' failed. "
+	       retry_ask_yes_no(&tries, "Rename from '%s' to '%s' failed. "
 		       "Should I try again?", pold, pnew))
 		goto repeat;
 
-- 
gitgitgadget
Previous: Bill Zissimopoulos via GitGitGadgetNext: Karsten Blees via GitGitGadget
Message 40 of 51 in “Support symbolic links on Windows”
  1. 00/18 Support symbolic links on WindowsJohannes Schindelin via GitGitGadget, Dec 17, 2025
  2. 01/18 mingw: don't call `GetFileAttributes()` twice in `mingw_lstat()`Karsten Blees via GitGitGadget, Dec 17, 2025
  3. 02/18 mingw: implement `stat()` with symlink supportKarsten Blees via GitGitGadget, Dec 17, 2025
  4. 03/18 mingw: drop the separate `do_lstat()` functionKarsten Blees via GitGitGadget, Dec 17, 2025
  5. 04/18 mingw: let `mingw_lstat()` error early upon problems with reparse pointsKarsten Blees via GitGitGadget, Dec 17, 2025
  6. 05/18 mingw: teach dirent about symlinksKarsten Blees via GitGitGadget, Dec 17, 2025
  7. 06/18 mingw: compute the correct size for symlinks in `mingw_lstat()`Bill Zissimopoulos via GitGitGadget, Dec 17, 2025
  8. 07/18 mingw: factor out the retry logicKarsten Blees via GitGitGadget, Dec 17, 2025
  9. 08/18 mingw: change default of `core.symlinks` to falseKarsten Blees via GitGitGadget, Dec 17, 2025
  10. 09/18 mingw: add symlink-specific error codesKarsten Blees via GitGitGadget, Dec 17, 2025
  11. 10/18 mingw: handle symlinks to directories in `mingw_unlink()`Karsten Blees via GitGitGadget, Dec 17, 2025
  12. 11/18 mingw: support renaming symlinksKarsten Blees via GitGitGadget, Dec 17, 2025
  13. 12/18 mingw: allow `mingw_chdir()` to change to symlink-resolved directoriesKarsten Blees via GitGitGadget, Dec 17, 2025
  14. 13/18 mingw: implement `readlink()`Karsten Blees via GitGitGadget, Dec 17, 2025
  15. 14/18 mingw: implement basic `symlink()` functionality (file symlinks only)Karsten Blees via GitGitGadget, Dec 17, 2025
  16. 15/18 mingw: add support for symlinks to directoriesKarsten Blees via GitGitGadget, Dec 17, 2025
  17. 16/18 mingw: try to create symlinks without elevated permissionsJohannes Schindelin via GitGitGadget, Dec 17, 2025
  18. 17/18 mingw: emulate `stat()` a little more faithfullyJohannes Schindelin via GitGitGadget, Dec 17, 2025
  19. 18/18 mingw: special-case index entries for symlinks with buggy sizeJohannes Schindelin via GitGitGadget, Dec 17, 2025
  20. Junio C HamanoDec 18, 2025
  21. Ben KnobleDec 18, 2025
  22. Johannes SixtDec 18, 2025
  23. Johannes SixtDec 18, 2025
  24. Johannes SixtDec 18, 2025
  25. Johannes SixtDec 18, 2025
  26. Johannes SixtDec 18, 2025
  27. Johannes SixtDec 18, 2025
  28. Karsten BleesDec 18, 2025
  29. Johannes SchindelinJan 9, 2026
  30. Johannes SchindelinJan 9, 2026
  31. Johannes SchindelinJan 9, 2026
  32. Johannes SchindelinJan 9, 2026
  33. 00/18 Support symbolic links on WindowsJohannes Schindelin via GitGitGadget, Jan 9, 2026
  34. 01/18 mingw: don't call `GetFileAttributes()` twice in `mingw_lstat()`Karsten Blees via GitGitGadget, Jan 9, 2026
  35. 02/18 mingw: implement `stat()` with symlink supportKarsten Blees via GitGitGadget, Jan 9, 2026
  36. 03/18 mingw: drop the separate `do_lstat()` functionKarsten Blees via GitGitGadget, Jan 9, 2026
  37. 04/18 mingw: let `mingw_lstat()` error early upon problems with reparse pointsKarsten Blees via GitGitGadget, Jan 9, 2026
  38. 05/18 mingw: teach dirent about symlinksKarsten Blees via GitGitGadget, Jan 9, 2026
  39. 06/18 mingw: compute the correct size for symlinks in `mingw_lstat()`Bill Zissimopoulos via GitGitGadget, Jan 9, 2026
  40. 07/18 mingw: factor out the retry logicKarsten Blees via GitGitGadget, Jan 9, 2026
  41. 08/18 mingw: change default of `core.symlinks` to falseKarsten Blees via GitGitGadget, Jan 9, 2026
  42. 09/18 mingw: add symlink-specific error codesKarsten Blees via GitGitGadget, Jan 9, 2026
  43. 11/18 mingw: support renaming symlinksKarsten Blees via GitGitGadget, Jan 9, 2026
  44. 10/18 mingw: handle symlinks to directories in `mingw_unlink()`Karsten Blees via GitGitGadget, Jan 9, 2026
  45. 12/18 mingw: allow `mingw_chdir()` to change to symlink-resolved directoriesKarsten Blees via GitGitGadget, Jan 9, 2026
  46. 13/18 mingw: implement `readlink()`Karsten Blees via GitGitGadget, Jan 9, 2026
  47. 14/18 mingw: implement basic `symlink()` functionality (file symlinks only)Karsten Blees via GitGitGadget, Jan 9, 2026
  48. 15/18 mingw: add support for symlinks to directoriesKarsten Blees via GitGitGadget, Jan 9, 2026
  49. 16/18 mingw: try to create symlinks without elevated permissionsJohannes Schindelin via GitGitGadget, Jan 9, 2026
  50. 17/18 mingw: emulate `stat()` a little more faithfullyJohannes Schindelin via GitGitGadget, Jan 9, 2026
  51. 18/18 mingw: special-case index entries for symlinks with buggy sizeJohannes Schindelin via GitGitGadget, Jan 9, 2026

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