Subject: Re: wierd behaviour of mkdir(2)
To: None <tech-kern@netbsd.org>
From: Greywolf <greywolf@starwolf.com>
List: tech-misc
Date: 10/19/2000 21:33:53
On Thu, 19 Oct 2000, Greg A. Woods wrote:

# > It is an old debate that has no Posixly correct answer, if I recall
# > right. It is very counterintuitive to allow mkdir to implicitly descend
# > into the directory it is about to create, and the only reason this
# > practice is so widespread is that historically System V allowed this
# > (due to a bug in their namei implementation, to add insult to injury).
# 
# NO!  Not a bug -- a very explict design *feature* that's been there
# since at least v6, if not before!  UTSL!

open("/some/path/", flags, mode) should still fail, though, if flags
specifies creation and "/some/path" does not exist, or if it does exist
as a non-directory.

				--*greywolf;
--
*BSD: better for your uptime than Viagra.