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[PATCH 04/18] mingw: let `mingw_lstat()` error early upon problems with reparse points

From
Karsten Blees via GitGitGadget <gitgitgadget@gmail.com>
Date
Dec 17, 2025, 14:08 UTC
Message-ID
<886044373be1bd4d2e7ecf758c42474e9efbe067.1765980535.git.gitgitgadget@gmail.com>
In-Reply-To
<pull.2018.git.1765980535.gitgitgadget@gmail.com>
From: Karsten Blees <blees@dcon.de>

When obtaining lstat information for reparse points, we need to call `FindFirstFile()` in addition to `GetFileInformationEx()` to obtain the type of the reparse point (symlink, mount point etc.). However, currently there is no error handling whatsoever if `FindFirstFile()` fails.

Call `FindFirstFile()` before modifying the `stat *buf` output parameter and error out if the call fails.

Note: The `FindFirstFile()` return value includes all the data
that we get from `GetFileAttributesEx()`, so we could replace
`GetFileAttributesEx()` with `FindFirstFile()`. We don't do that because
`GetFileAttributesEx()` is about twice as fast for single files. I.e.
we only pay the extra cost of calling `FindFirstFile()` in the rare case
that we encounter a reparse point.

Please also note that the indentation the remaining reparse point code changed, and hence the best way to look at this diff is with `--color-moved -w`. That code was _not_ moved because a subsequent commit will move it to an altogether different function, anyway.

Signed-off-by: Karsten Blees <blees@dcon.de>
Signed-off-by: Johannes Schindelin <johannes.schindelin@gmx.de>
---
 compat/mingw.c | 24 ++++++++++++++----------
 1 file changed, 14 insertions(+), 10 deletions(-)
diff --git a/compat/mingw.c b/compat/mingw.c
index ec6c2801d3..23a926c7d1 100644
--- a/compat/mingw.c
+++ b/compat/mingw.c
@@ -920,6 +920,7 @@ static int has_valid_directory_prefix(wchar_t *wfilename)
 int mingw_lstat(const char *file_name, struct stat *buf)
 {
 	WIN32_FILE_ATTRIBUTE_DATA fdata;
+	WIN32_FIND_DATAW findbuf = { 0 };
 	wchar_t wfilename[MAX_PATH];
 	int wlen = xutftowcs_path(wfilename, file_name);
 	if (wlen < 0)
@@ -934,6 +935,13 @@ int mingw_lstat(const char *file_name, struct stat *buf)
 	}
 
 	if (GetFileAttributesExW(wfilename, GetFileExInfoStandard, &fdata)) {
+		/* for reparse points, use FindFirstFile to get the reparse tag */
+		if (fdata.dwFileAttributes & FILE_ATTRIBUTE_REPARSE_POINT) {
+			HANDLE handle = FindFirstFileW(wfilename, &findbuf);
+			if (handle == INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE)
+				goto error;
+			FindClose(handle);
+		}
 		buf->st_ino = 0;
 		buf->st_gid = 0;
 		buf->st_uid = 0;
@@ -946,20 +954,16 @@ int mingw_lstat(const char *file_name, struct stat *buf)
 		filetime_to_timespec(&(fdata.ftLastWriteTime), &(buf->st_mtim));
 		filetime_to_timespec(&(fdata.ftCreationTime), &(buf->st_ctim));
 		if (fdata.dwFileAttributes & FILE_ATTRIBUTE_REPARSE_POINT) {
-			WIN32_FIND_DATAW findbuf;
-			HANDLE handle = FindFirstFileW(wfilename, &findbuf);
-			if (handle != INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE) {
-				if ((findbuf.dwFileAttributes & FILE_ATTRIBUTE_REPARSE_POINT) &&
-						(findbuf.dwReserved0 == IO_REPARSE_TAG_SYMLINK)) {
-					buf->st_mode = S_IFLNK | S_IREAD;
-					if (!(findbuf.dwFileAttributes & FILE_ATTRIBUTE_READONLY))
-						buf->st_mode |= S_IWRITE;
-				}
-				FindClose(handle);
+			if ((findbuf.dwFileAttributes & FILE_ATTRIBUTE_REPARSE_POINT) &&
+					(findbuf.dwReserved0 == IO_REPARSE_TAG_SYMLINK)) {
+				buf->st_mode = S_IFLNK | S_IREAD;
+				if (!(findbuf.dwFileAttributes & FILE_ATTRIBUTE_READONLY))
+					buf->st_mode |= S_IWRITE;
 			}
 		}
 		return 0;
 	}
+error:
 	switch (GetLastError()) {
 	case ERROR_ACCESS_DENIED:
 	case ERROR_SHARING_VIOLATION:
-- 
gitgitgadget
Previous: Johannes SixtNext: Karsten Blees via GitGitGadget
Message 9 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. Johannes SixtDec 18, 2025
  4. 02/18 mingw: implement `stat()` with symlink supportKarsten Blees via GitGitGadget, Dec 17, 2025
  5. Johannes SixtDec 18, 2025
  6. Johannes SchindelinJan 9, 2026
  7. 03/18 mingw: drop the separate `do_lstat()` functionKarsten Blees via GitGitGadget, Dec 17, 2025
  8. Johannes SixtDec 18, 2025
  9. 04/18 mingw: let `mingw_lstat()` error early upon problems with reparse pointsKarsten Blees via GitGitGadget, Dec 17, 2025
  10. 05/18 mingw: teach dirent about symlinksKarsten Blees via GitGitGadget, Dec 17, 2025
  11. 06/18 mingw: compute the correct size for symlinks in `mingw_lstat()`Bill Zissimopoulos via GitGitGadget, Dec 17, 2025
  12. 07/18 mingw: factor out the retry logicKarsten Blees via GitGitGadget, Dec 17, 2025
  13. 08/18 mingw: change default of `core.symlinks` to falseKarsten Blees via GitGitGadget, Dec 17, 2025
  14. 09/18 mingw: add symlink-specific error codesKarsten Blees via GitGitGadget, Dec 17, 2025
  15. 10/18 mingw: handle symlinks to directories in `mingw_unlink()`Karsten Blees via GitGitGadget, Dec 17, 2025
  16. Ben KnobleDec 18, 2025
  17. Johannes SchindelinJan 9, 2026
  18. 11/18 mingw: support renaming symlinksKarsten Blees via GitGitGadget, Dec 17, 2025
  19. Johannes SixtDec 18, 2025
  20. Johannes SchindelinJan 9, 2026
  21. 12/18 mingw: allow `mingw_chdir()` to change to symlink-resolved directoriesKarsten Blees via GitGitGadget, Dec 17, 2025
  22. 13/18 mingw: implement `readlink()`Karsten Blees via GitGitGadget, Dec 17, 2025
  23. Johannes SixtDec 18, 2025
  24. Johannes SchindelinJan 9, 2026
  25. 14/18 mingw: implement basic `symlink()` functionality (file symlinks only)Karsten Blees via GitGitGadget, Dec 17, 2025
  26. 15/18 mingw: add support for symlinks to directoriesKarsten Blees via GitGitGadget, Dec 17, 2025
  27. 16/18 mingw: try to create symlinks without elevated permissionsJohannes Schindelin via GitGitGadget, Dec 17, 2025
  28. 17/18 mingw: emulate `stat()` a little more faithfullyJohannes Schindelin via GitGitGadget, Dec 17, 2025
  29. 18/18 mingw: special-case index entries for symlinks with buggy sizeJohannes Schindelin via GitGitGadget, Dec 17, 2025
  30. Junio C HamanoDec 18, 2025
  31. Johannes SixtDec 18, 2025
  32. Karsten BleesDec 18, 2025
  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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