Re: [boost] boost::filesystem::remove() throws on some symlinks

From: Beman Dawes (bdawes_at_[hidden])
Date: 2008-05-30 08:11:04

dizzy wrote:
> Hello
> 
> If one creates a symlink like this "ln -s sym sym" (to itself symlink), 
> bfs::exists("sym") will throw because the documentation defines it to do so 
> (and I have nothing against it doing so, although in my programs because of 
> this I am forced to just use "lstat()" and I can't replace using "lstat()" to 
> check if something exists with bfs::exists).

Interesting! That's a case I never considered.

> 
> However, I do think that bfs::remove("sym") throwing for the same reason 
> (because it calls upon bfs::exists()) is the wrong thing to do. The source 
> around bfs::remove() implementation even try to solve the issue of "dangling 
> symlinks" as they call it by having an exception in case bfs::exists returns 
> false and the target path points to a dangling symlink and still tries to 
> remove it. Unfortunetly, exists will throw in my example of a symlink (not 
> even dangling technically speaking :) ) even tho a remove on that kind of 
> symlink should work just fine (it does work in shell or just doing 
> std::remove()).
> 
> Is this a bug?

Probably.

> If so, I should put it in the tracker?

Yes, please do.

Please mention what operating system you are using. I assume it is 
Linux, but it always helps to know for sure with filesystem issues.

Thanks,

--Beman