From: Daniel Barkalow <barkalow@iabervon.org>
Date: Thu, 29 May 2008 18:35:03 GMT
Subject: Re: [PATCH 6/5] NUL hack to create_file()
Message-ID: <alpine.LNX.1.00.0805291428130.19665@iabervon.org>
In-Reply-To: <483EED1D.58196FCF@dessent.net>

On Thu, 29 May 2008, Brian Dessent wrote:

> Daniel Barkalow wrote:
> 
> > support it in git. Of course, people on Windows using projects with these
> > filenames will probably run into problems with other tools, but at least
> > git will behave properly.
> 
> I don't see how it would help to have core git using the Native syntax
> to bypass the Win32 layer's restrictions but none of the accompanying
> suite of tools, i.e. the dozens of various MSYS sh.exe, perl.exe,
> cat.exe, etc.  None of those would be able to open or even delete those
> files with the reserved filenames.
> 
> Users tend to get upset when software creates files that cannot be
> removed through conventional methods, e.g. Explorer is completely
> powerless to remove it.  Cygwin shipped with a bug several years ago
> that unintentionally allowed to create (but not unlink) reserved
> filenames.  Unless you knew the magical incantation of "del
> \\.\c:\path\to\nul" the file was immutable.

Well, "git rm <filename>" would work. Or "git mv <weird> <okay>", which is 
possibly more productive. Or checking out a version that doesn't contain 
it. It's a lot worse if the tool that created it can't remove it than if 
tools other than the one that created it can't deal with it.

	-Daniel
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