[boost] Re: boost::filesystem file restrictions

From: David Abrahams (dave_at_[hidden])
Date: 2003-08-15 13:47:20

Dick.Bridges_at_[hidden] writes:

> I'm just a confused lurker seeking some clarification.  I thought most OSs
> allowed a process filesystem to be dynamically "re-rooted" and that '/'
> refers to the "current root" - whatever the OS (assuming hierarchical
> filesystem[s]).  If you introduce the extra-filesystem "a:/" wrt Windows,
> then why not chroot for *NIXs or the 9P messages that "re-root" the Plan 9
> filesystem to a different date or file server?
>
> I was under the impression that "/foo/bar" is a relative path wrt the
> current root of any given process state.  For any given process, the
> physical location of "/foo/bar" may change between points in time and, for
> any two processes, the physical location of "/foo/bar" may be different at
> the same point in time.
>
> I've clearly "lost the bubble" here.  Can someone get me started in the
> right direction?

You're confusing physical files and paths (abstract locations).  Any
path may point to different physical stuff at different points in
time, for a variety of reasons.  If you consider "/foo" to be relative
on *NIX then "relative" has no meaning because everything is
relative.  We may as well pick a meaning that gives the term some
descriptive power.

-- 
Dave Abrahams
Boost Consulting
www.boost-consulting.com