Re: bug in cygwin_conv_to_posix_path() caused by period in win32 path

[Pavel Kudrna <Pavel dot Kudrna at mff dot cuni dot cz>]

Corinna Vinschen wrote:
> On Jul 13 14:19, Pavel Kudrna wrote:
>   
> > Novell client uses paths of type z:. as so called search drives. It is 
> > stupid because if works
> > only until you change current dir on that drive. It should use z:\ 
> > instead but we can't change it
> > and it works.
> > So the good is that it is possible to run novell netware utilities from 
> > cygwin bash etc.
> >     
> I don't understand this one.  The Novel client is not a Cygwin
> application, right?  How does it help a native Windows application if
> the path is converted to a Cygwin-specific POSIX path?  I don't get
> this.
>   
Ok, imagine a windows server with the share \\server\disk. You login to 
that server from your
workstation and some (login) script will map drive letter S: on the 
workstation to \\server\share
and also it can add e.g. s:\bin to the search path.
That is what Novell client is doing when you login but shares are on 
netware server. There is
a directory with utilities so letter Z: is mapped there. Therefore 
windows workstation logged
to Novell server usually has Z:. (unfortunately not Z:\ as I mentioned 
above) in search path
(nvclient will manage it during login & logout) and utilities are 
accessible by file name.

But in cygwin bash, because of noncorverted Z:. by 
cygwin_conv_to_posix_path(), there are
two items Z and . in $PATH and of course utilities are not found.

> Another point is this:  Converting C:. to C:. keeps the path correct,
>   
Correct? Function should convert to posix, but no conversion is 
performed without indication
of error.
> Converting C:. to /cygdrive/c/. creates a wrong path.
Why conversion of c: to /cygdrive/c is ok while c:. to /cygdrive/c/. is 
not? Is there some problem
with trailing period? If yes we can decide convert to /cygdrive/c only.
> Even if it
> helps your Novell client (no idea how that's possible, but still...)
>   
Not my only, it is common to all Novell Clients for Windows 2k, XP...
I hope I explained how it helps. Did I?
> then it still might break other applications.
>   
Yes, that is argument. I don't want to break any other applications but
are there any? And if there are some, should they rely on undocumented 
feature?
With path in bash it is just opposite, it is broken now. Novell client 
uses legal win32
path but its ruined on the way to cygwin bash.
Pavel Kudrna

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