[Boost-bugs] [Boost C++ Libraries] #3949: filesystem::rename() "does not exist" check is sometimes unwanted

Subject: [Boost-bugs] [Boost C++ Libraries] #3949: filesystem::rename() "does not exist" check is sometimes unwanted
From: Boost C++ Libraries (noreply_at_[hidden])
Date: 2010-02-19 22:01:04

#3949: filesystem::rename() "does not exist" check is sometimes unwanted
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 Reporter:  Paul Pogonyshev <pogonyshev@…>        |       Owner:  bemandawes
     Type:  Feature Requests                      |      Status:  new       
Milestone:  Boost 1.43.0                          |   Component:  filesystem
  Version:  Boost 1.42.0                          |    Severity:  Problem   
 Keywords:                                        |  
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 POSIX allows to rename/move a file over another, unlike Windows.
 Currently, Boost (according to source code) explicitly adds a check
 against this, using an exists() call.  However, sometimes POSIX behavior
 is desired, to avoid extra remove() call.

 Moreover, since exist()/remove()/rename() is inherently non-atomic (as are
 all filesystem operation), this unnecessarily (on POSIX) creates another
 race-condition point.

 Request: change rename prototype to rename(from, to, overwrite = false)
 and adjust code accordingly.  If 'overwrite' is false (default) it will
 work just as now, so the change is fully backward-compatible.  If
 overwrite is 'true', POSIX implementation will just omit its exist()
 check, while Windows implementation will call remove(to) and catch errors.

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Ticket URL: <https://svn.boost.org/trac/boost/ticket/3949>
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