Re: [boost] [filesystem] "leaf"

From: Johan Råde (rade_at_[hidden])
Date: 2008-05-21 09:11:27

Beman Dawes wrote:
> Johan Råde wrote:
>> David Abrahams wrote:
>>> I was just reviewing the filesystem docs and came across "leaf()".  I'm
>>> sure this isn't the first time I've seen it, but this time I picked up a
>>> little semantic dissonance.  Normally we think of "leaf" in the context
>>> of a tree as being a thing with no children.  An interior node like a
>>> directory that has files or other directories in it is usually not
>>> called a "leaf."  I wonder if this is the best possible name?
>>>
>>> Is there a precedent we can draw on in some other language/library?  In
>>> python, it's os.path.basename(p).  Perl, php, and the posix basename
>>> command seem to do something similar.
>>>
>> David is absolutely right.
>>
>> The name leaf is the result of conceptual confusion,
>> failure to distinguish between the tree structure of the file system
>> and the linear structure of a path.
>>
>> If possible, at this late stage, the names should be changed.
> 
> Why don't you and Dave come up with a proposed set of names? The current 
> names are:
> 
>        root_path
>        root_name
>        root_directory
>        relative_path
>        leaf
>        branch_path
>        basename
>        extension

I think all these names are fine except "leaf" and "branch_path".
If anyone asked me "What does the function branch_path return?",
I would answer "The parent directory."
So why not call it parent_directory_path?

--Johan