Re: [boost] Boost.Test tests require write access in current directory

From: Beman Dawes (bdawes_at_[hidden])
Date: 2007-12-02 11:17:20

Markus Schöpflin wrote:
> David Abrahams schrieb:
>> on Fri Nov 30 2007, David Abrahams <dave-AT-boost-consulting.com> wrote:
>>
>>> In particular, the tests that use output_test_stream supply filenames
>>> that are interpreted relative to the current working directory.
>>> That's not the best possible practice, for reasons of "hygiene:" if
>>> testing Boost causes the Boost tree to be modified, it's hard to be
>>> sure that one is testing the same thing the next time around.
>>> Furthermore, it means one can't test from within a read-only copy of
>>> the Boost sources.  This bit me as I tested from an NFS-mounted
>>> working copy.
>> Oh, and I realize this is going to be a problem as soon as my testing
>> machines or processes are sharing a working copy, because they will
>> collide when trying to write these files out.
> 
> Boost.Filesystem and Boost.Serialization also create temporary files in 
> the current working directory, IIRC.

Boost.Filesystem really should have facilities for creating temporary 
files and directories in places suitable for the particular system. Then 
Boost.Filesystem and other Boost libraries could use that mechanism for 
test files.

I'm unlikely to get to this anytime soon. Providing such a facility in a 
system independent way is likely to be more complicated than it might 
appear on the surface, too. So if someone else wants to develop such a 
facility, I'd be very receptive.

--Beman