RE: [Boost-Users] Boost::Filesystem: Directory iterator and dangling links

From: Ben Hutchings (ben.hutchings_at_[hidden])
Date: 2003-04-22 05:36:23

You wrote:
<snip>
> In the case of dangling links I obtain a not_found_error.
> This seems to be a contradiction. First I find something (and obtain
an
> iterator) and without any interference from
> outside is_directory() tells me it cannot find the object.
> The problem is that directory_iterator refers to the link whereas
> is_directory() and the following exception refer to the target (which
is
> missing).
<snip>

To make this consistent, then, maybe is_directory() and friends should
be using lstat rather than stat on Unix.  Is it desirable that links
be resolved?  I suppose it is if the iterator is being used to walk
a whole tree - but not if it's being used to list a single directory.

Perhaps there is a need to include explicit support for links in the
API.  Windows has supported them since 2000, so they aren't just a
Unix thing now.