What about *nix???

[John Esak]

<the .filePro-filename thing>
 
Actually, for me, I would prefer that files with a "." at the beginning do
not get shown in any of the file lists.  You are right that does keep them
secret, at least from the typical filePro user.  And, I can easily use
PFNAME as you say or work from the command line or menu line.  No problem.
That's actually why I was asking if this should be reported as a bug, and
suggested that it is supposed to work that way because of the not showing
files starting with a "." thing.  If it's a glitch it's a glitch. If it's
something people want a workaround for, they've got it.  I was just
wondering whether you meant it to be that way.  Obviously, you did. Fine
with me, if this is a voting thing. :-)

Really, the only :-(  I had originally put in my message (before I refined
it realizing all the runtime progs don't let you in) was that ddefine won't
let you *back* into a file once you've defined it the first time.  Getting
back in to re-define it is impossible because ddefine doesn't take
arguments.  Well, let's see, I suppose there's always "autoshuf" :-).

Oh wait... Are you saying by the fix, that ddefine *does* let you in through
the listbox as well as through the [NEW] option?  I guess I'll have to see
it when I load the 5.6.10.

John


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Kenneth Brody [mailto:kenbrody at spamcop.net] 
> Sent: Thursday, December 17, 2009 3:02 PM
> To: john at valar.com
> Cc: filepro-list at lists.celestial.com
> Subject: Re: What about *nix???
> 
> John Esak wrote:
> > 
> > Okay, now you've done it.... I've just read the README and 
> found a good
> > thing.
> > 
> > It kind of proves the old adage "All good things come to 
> those who wait."
> > 
> > 
> > (Windows) #1016
> >     On Windows, ddefine did not allow you to create or 
> access files with
> >     a dot in the filename.
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > So, that's nice.... But what about Unix? 
> 
> *nix filePro has always allowed a dot in filenames.  The 
> problem came when 
> people xfered their dot-containing files from *nix to 
> Windows, and ddefine 
> would reject the name.
> 
> > Now, I have some documentation
> > somewhere that will show I sent you this problem back in 
> 1994. :-)  I was
> > trying to create a secret file to hold the resin prices for 
> the plastics at
> > nexus, and ddefine would not let me make it.  I just tried 
> on a Linux system
> > and lo and behold, it let me build a new file called 
> ".resin"!  Yay!  *clerk
> > will let me into the file from the command line! Yay!  But, 
> :-( ddefine, nor
> > any of the other creation programs, nor any of the runtime  
> programs will
> > let me access the file once it's been created.  Has this 
> been addressed in
> > the 1016 fix?  I don't have the 5.6.10 loaded on a Windows 
> system to try
> > it... And since the fix only lists Windows specifically, 
> could it be you
> > think you fixed this back when I reported the Unix problem? 
>  Should I send
> > this in as a add-on to the original bug?
> 
> Well, you did say you wanted the file to be "secret".  :-)
> 
> The list of filenames that filePro presents to the user do 
> not include files 
> that start with a dot, as is *nix tradition.  (I could get 
> picky and say 
> that the fix says "files with a dot _in_ the filename", and 
> not "at the 
> start of the filename", but I won't.  In any case, what you 
> are describing 
> is a distinct issue from the fix.)
> 
> You can always set PFNAME=.resin if you need to handle this scenario.
> 
> > Actually, I think there really isn't any major bug, but 
> probably just an
> > oversite in the LISTBOX() being used to display the 
> available files and it
> > possibly using a system call that by default doesn't show 
> filenames starting
> > with a ".".  That would be an easy thing to fix, wouldn't it?  
> 
> Well, then your file wouldn't be secret anymore.  Unless you 
> are saying that 
>   (some?) creation programs shouldn't filter those out.
> 
> [...]
> 
> -- 
> Kenneth Brody
>