Re: [boost] [filesystem] Should recursive_directory_iterator follow directory symlinks by default?

Subject: Re: [boost] [filesystem] Should recursive_directory_iterator follow directory symlinks by default?
From: Dave Abrahams (dave_at_[hidden])
Date: 2011-02-09 11:29:20

At Wed, 9 Feb 2011 09:15:24 -0500,
Beman Dawes wrote:
> 
> recursive_directory_iterator currently always follows directory symlinks
> 
> It seems to me that whether or not this behavior is desirable is
> application dependent.
> 
> Thus I'd like to add an option to either following directory symlinks
> or not. Which should the default be?
> 
> Following symlinks by default avoids breaking existing code, so that's
> my mild preference, but I'm wondering if anyone has a strong argument
> for not following directory symlinks by default?

It might take extra logic on the user's part to avoid infinite recursions in a
case where a directory symlinks an ancestor, so maybe it would make sense to
have symlink-following be an explicit choice.

-- 
Dave Abrahams
BoostPro Computing
http://www.boostpro.com