Re: [boost] [Boost-users] [Filesystem V3] Filesystem Version 3 beta 1 available for download and comment

Subject: Re: [boost] [Boost-users] [Filesystem V3] Filesystem Version 3 beta 1 available for download and comment
From: Jeffrey Bosboom (jbosboom_at_[hidden])
Date: 2010-02-23 00:41:53

On 2/21/2010 8:39 AM, Beman Dawes wrote:
>> - path::absolute
>>
>> I agree that a verb here is important, since it's a mutator.  I don't
>> have anything cleverer than make_absolute, though.
>
> make_absolute() seems clearer than absolute(), so I'll go with that
> unless someone comes up with something even better.

absolutify()?  I would expect make_absolute() to return a different path 
object containing the absolute path rather than mutate the current path 
(although that's probably because I've been doing lots of Java lately). 
  I'm not sure absolutify() is better, as a grep for 'absolute' won't 
hit it, and it seems kind of whimsical.

>> - canonical(p)
>>
>> I'd like a non-member function specified to take an absolute path,
>> expand any symlinks, and collapse any ".." path elements.
>>
>> Whether it should allow a context to work with relative paths I'm unsure.
>>
>
> Essentially a "tell me what this path resolves to" function? I've
> occasionally though about such a function, but it always ended up be
> lower priority than other work.

This is useful for security checks and for non-security reasons where a 
unique identifier for a file is required (although off the top of my 
head I'm not sure it would result in one path-zero or one file).

>> - uncomplete(p, base)
>> [snip]

+1.  I understand the feature freeze; you don't have to do it now, but 
eventually.

--Jeffrey Bosboom