[boost] Re: filesystem feature request: file versioning

From: Daniel Yerushalmi (daniel_zy_at_[hidden])
Date: 2003-01-03 04:03:13

On the windows NTFS file system versioning can be simulated by multiple data
stream per file (http://www.ntfs.com/ntfs-multiple.htm) (the file name is
<full path>:stream name).
You can save highest version number in a seperate stream that can be locked
during access (each stream in a file can be locked individaly).

This is none-portable code.... (but all the versioning staff is
none-portable anyway).

I really enjoyed using the filesystem library!
Daniel

"Beman Dawes" <bdawes_at_[hidden]> wrote in message
news:4.3.2.7.2.20030102204254.021e0d38_at_mailhost.esva.net...
> At 01:08 PM 1/1/2003, Alberto Barbati wrote:
>  >Hi,
>  >
>  >first of all, I want to thank Beman Dawes and all others that
>  >contributed with the design and development of the Filesystem library.
>  >It's a wonderful piece of work.
>
> Thanks! A lot of people have been helping.
>
>  >I just would like to propose a couple of additions that I believe are
>  >very useful. Both features regard temporary files.
>
> Ha! I've been waiting for that shoe to drop.
>
> Yes, there is a real need. And as you point out, more that one need.
>
> I've also run into a third need, the ability to great a new file, given a
> hint, but as a regular file with no "temporary" implications.
>
> Some operating systems have a "file version" or "generation dataset"
> feature to deal with this. But it has to be simulated in POSIX and Windows
> filesystems by dancing around with file names. Something like, if the hint
> is "foo.txt", find the file "foo-#.txt" with the highest value of #, and
> then create a new file where # has been incremented by one.
>
> Because of the race-condition issue mentioned by Thomas Witt the exact
> specs on these functions aren't easy.
>
> I'm focused right now on trying to finish off the remaining issues with
the
> current library. But if we can agree on a small set of add functions, they
> shouldn't be hard to add.
>
> Thanks,
>
> --Beman
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Unsubscribe & other changes:
http://lists.boost.org/mailman/listinfo.cgi/boost
>