Re: [boost] [filesystem] temp_dir_path()

Subject: Re: [boost] [filesystem] temp_dir_path()
From: John B. Turpish (jbturp_at_[hidden])
Date: 2010-10-13 12:47:24

On Tue, Oct 12, 2010 at 8:49 PM, Stewart, Robert <Robert.Stewart_at_[hidden]> wrote:
> John B. Turpish wrote:
>> 'directory.in.output' provided me with nothing. So I do not
>> know where it got the directory for tmpnam(), but not from any
>> env var.
>
> According to <http://linux.die.net/man/3/tmpnam>, one should not
> use tmpname(3) but should instead call mkstemp(3) or tmpfile(3).
> The former makes a unique filename from a supplied template, so
> it is the caller's responsibility to select the directory.  The
> latter creates a file which is deleted automatically when closed
> or when the process terminates.  Neither mentions e-vars as
> influencing their behavior.

What I was getting at is there's already a function in the standard C
library that needs to determine where to put temporary files - and in
my mind that would be what the temporary directory is - and its result
disagrees with what's being discussed here. mkstemp() doesn't have to
come up with directory itself - as you pointed out. tmpfile() would,
but printing the result of the decision not as convenient for a simple
test as with tmpnam(). Besides, if the use case (not positive what it
is, actually) was covered by tmpfile() then there would be no need for
the function being discussed.