Re: file attribute questions

["William A. Rowe, Jr." <wr...@rowe-clan.net>]

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From: "Paul Bayley" <ba...@mac.com>
Sent: Tuesday, August 21, 2001 12:15 AM


> >> * Should I modify srclib/apr/include/apr_file_info.h?
> >
> >That will break binary compatibility.  Fine today, horrible tommorow.
> >
> >I think we need an extension schema that won't keep breaking.  Care to propose one :-?
> >
> >If you wanted to add stuff that -many- systems support, I don't know that anybody would
> >object (physical size in storage [which maps to the '.size' if unknown], etc.)  Let's finish
> >defining those today, and agree to relagate all future growth into the extension schema.
> 
> UNIX hasn't changed in the last 30 years, I doubt it will in the next 5000.

To cite one specific FS change in Linux; discresionary access lists.  Let's not forget
that Darwin is a Unix, with several extensions.  Then there is IBM's OS families, and
OS2, Windows, NetThat's two.

I've clipped the rest of your Unix rant, it doesn't serve much purpose.  If you want to
contribute something, please start with the Darwin apr_dir_open/dir_read - it will speed
up Apache significantly if you can fill in the blanks as the directory is loaded - we
don't need a call to stat on each file if apr_dir_read can return things such as the
filetype (dir_read _must_ report symlinks for security to be effective), the time and
size values, etc.  I'm rather certain Darwin has an extended opendir/readdir that
returns these things.

Proceed to the apr_stat/apr_lstat calls, and fill in the .name entity, which I believe
Darwin can report in a single call with the stat info.  That will let us perform real
canoncial filename testing.

ITMT, I will proceed to set up more win32-specific info and build the accessor.  I'll
try resolving the ctime v.s. mtime debate on a bigger scale, and give you a template
to build Darwin-specific APR_MORE_INFO with.  I will kick this off with a post and
patch for discussion to dev@apr.apache.org, so we can keep moving.

Then I believe we will be ready to look at an apache core extension to mod_mime for
per-platform extra mime and charset info.  I've already got a hint that someone within
IBM would like to see this supported for their extended file systems ;)  That whole
discussion moves back to httpd@apache.org.

But the 'I don't like this about this OS' rants really don't go far unless you care to 
join the bsd or linux kernel lists, where they won't be circular filed, along with any
productive suggestions that were mixed in.  

Bill