Re: NSTemporaryDirectory() && Windows

[Sheldon Gill]

David Ayers wrote:
> Marc Brünink wrote:
> > However. I think if we use some nasty internal string representation 
> > there SHOULD be a method to convert it to a nice format. And this 
> > method shouldn't be an operating system method but a method within 
> > GNUstep. But perhaps this is just my opinion.

The nasty internal string representation is a different issue and 
Richard and I have been discussing that in a different thread. Please 
feel free to join us there for that topic :)

> FWIW, I don't share your opinion that we have an obligation to support
> converting between a "nasty internal string representation" and the long
> version which is only an issue for the Windows platform and therefor
> it's absolutely reasonable IMHO to require the operating system specific
> method.  Indeed it seems like Apple doesn't much care either.  This is
> what is returned in WO for Windows:
>
> NSHomeDirectory(): C:\Dokumente und Einstellungen\ayers
> NSTemporaryDirectory(): C:\DOKUME~1\ayers\LOKALE~1\Temp
>
> But I guess if you supplied a patch to -baseadd's GSCategories (I guess
> a category to NSFileManager), I would support it as a convenience method
> to ease the pain for cross platform development.

I would vote against a new convenience method.

There is a potential place for this, though:

NSFileManager displayNameForPath

which is supposed to clean up and localise paths for presentation to the 
user.

> /me wonders what these paths look like from unix-like machine when the
> mount the paths via samba and whether there we would be asking for more
> trouble in such cases.

You won't see any issues mounting via samba. None at all.

I thought I said it earlier but let me clarify again. On windows 
GetTemp() returns a file in 8.3 format. Check your environment. It's the 
same there. ie, it's the fault of the OS

{It may not do so if the machine has short file name support turned off 
in the filesystem.}

So, the windows API version of NSHomeDirectory() returns an 8.3 
compatible path. This is a *feature* of windows as it supports those 
ancient programs which don't handle long file names or which can't 
handle a temporary directory specification with spaces.

We get it, we use it. No problem. The fact that it looks ugly is really 
irrelevant to it's functionality and purpose.

It's not a bug, its a feature ;>


Regards,
Sheldon