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Re: [PATCH 11/18] mingw: support renaming symlinks

From
Johannes Schindelin <johannes.schindelin@gmx.de>
Date
Jan 9, 2026, 20:04 UTC
Message-ID
<99570ae3-d34d-c917-e218-ebbf3f9d7b6c@gmx.de>
In-Reply-To
<02fa15af-5a57-4557-b016-fd14b9107c6e@kdbg.org>
Hi Hannes,
On Thu, 18 Dec 2025, Johannes Sixt wrote:
Show 99 quoted lines
> Am 17.12.25 um 15:08 schrieb Karsten Blees via GitGitGadget:
> > From: Karsten Blees <blees@dcon.de>
> > 
> > Older MSVCRT's `_wrename()` function cannot rename symlinks over
> > existing files: it returns success without doing anything. Newer
> > MSVCR*.dll versions probably do not share this problem: according to CRT
> > sources, they just call `MoveFileEx()` with the `MOVEFILE_COPY_ALLOWED`
> > flag.
> > 
> > Avoid the `_wrename()` call, and go with directly calling
> > `MoveFileEx()`, with proper error handling of course.
> > 
> > Signed-off-by: Karsten Blees <blees@dcon.de>
> > Signed-off-by: Johannes Schindelin <johannes.schindelin@gmx.de>
> > ---
> >  compat/mingw.c | 38 ++++++++++++++++----------------------
> >  1 file changed, 16 insertions(+), 22 deletions(-)
> > 
> > diff --git a/compat/mingw.c b/compat/mingw.c
> > index b1cc30d0f1..55f0bb478e 100644
> > --- a/compat/mingw.c
> > +++ b/compat/mingw.c
> > @@ -2275,7 +2275,7 @@ int mingw_accept(int sockfd1, struct sockaddr *sa, socklen_t *sz)
> >  int mingw_rename(const char *pold, const char *pnew)
> >  {
> >  	static int supports_file_rename_info_ex = 1;
> > -	DWORD attrs, gle;
> > +	DWORD attrs = INVALID_FILE_ATTRIBUTES, gle;
> >  	int tries = 0;
> >  	wchar_t wpold[MAX_PATH], wpnew[MAX_PATH];
> >  	int wpnew_len;
> > @@ -2286,15 +2286,6 @@ int mingw_rename(const char *pold, const char *pnew)
> >  	if (wpnew_len < 0)
> >  		return -1;
> >  
> > -	/*
> > -	 * Try native rename() first to get errno right.
> > -	 * It is based on MoveFile(), which cannot overwrite existing files.
> > -	 */
> > -	if (!_wrename(wpold, wpnew))
> > -		return 0;
> > -	if (errno != EEXIST)
> > -		return -1;
> > -
> >  repeat:
> >  	if (supports_file_rename_info_ex) {
> >  		/*
> > @@ -2370,13 +2361,22 @@ repeat:
> >  		 * to retry.
> >  		 */
> >  	} else {
> > -		if (MoveFileExW(wpold, wpnew, MOVEFILE_REPLACE_EXISTING))
> > +		if (MoveFileExW(wpold, wpnew,
> > +				MOVEFILE_REPLACE_EXISTING | MOVEFILE_COPY_ALLOWED))
> >  			return 0;
> >  		gle = GetLastError();
> >  	}
> >  
> > -	/* TODO: translate more errors */
> > -	if (gle == ERROR_ACCESS_DENIED &&
> > +	/* revert file attributes on failure */
> > +	if (attrs != INVALID_FILE_ATTRIBUTES)
> > +		SetFileAttributesW(wpnew, attrs);
> > +
> > +	if (!is_file_in_use_error(gle)) {
> > +		errno = err_win_to_posix(gle);
> > +		return -1;
> > +	}
> > +
> > +	if (attrs == INVALID_FILE_ATTRIBUTES &&
> >  	    (attrs = GetFileAttributesW(wpnew)) != INVALID_FILE_ATTRIBUTES) {
> >  		if (attrs & FILE_ATTRIBUTE_DIRECTORY) {
> >  			DWORD attrsold = GetFileAttributesW(wpold);
> > @@ -2388,16 +2388,10 @@ repeat:
> >  			return -1;
> >  		}
> >  		if ((attrs & FILE_ATTRIBUTE_READONLY) &&
> > -		    SetFileAttributesW(wpnew, attrs & ~FILE_ATTRIBUTE_READONLY)) {
> > -			if (MoveFileExW(wpold, wpnew, MOVEFILE_REPLACE_EXISTING))
> > -				return 0;
> > -			gle = GetLastError();
> > -			/* revert file attributes on failure */
> > -			SetFileAttributesW(wpnew, attrs);
> > -		}
> > +		    SetFileAttributesW(wpnew, attrs & ~FILE_ATTRIBUTE_READONLY))
> > +			goto repeat;
> >  	}
> > -	if (gle == ERROR_ACCESS_DENIED &&
> > -	       retry_ask_yes_no(&tries, "Rename from '%s' to '%s' failed. "
> > +	if (retry_ask_yes_no(&tries, "Rename from '%s' to '%s' failed. "
> >  		       "Should I try again?", pold, pnew))
> >  		goto repeat;
> >  
> 
> The logic in this function is incredibly convoluted. It does look
> somewhat reasonable, at least on the non-error path, but whether the
> variable attr is changed and reset as needed after 'goto repeat' and the
> various failure modes, I cannot tell. I give up and trust that this code
> has been battle-tested during the past decade and works as desired.

I do agree that the logic is quite convoluted. Historically grown, like. But as you suspect: This has been battle-hardened, and I am loathe to introduce a regression by making it prettier at this point. This is tried and tested code, and that counts for something.

Ciao, Johannes

Previous: Johannes SixtNext: Karsten Blees via GitGitGadget
Message 20 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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