Re: suggestion for set-file-modes

[Michaël Cadilhac]

Juri Linkov <address@hidden> writes:

>> Soooo, why not convert it to an appropriate "input form" for putting in
>> the prompt/default ?
>>
>> E.g., -rwxrwxrw- => "ug=rwx,o=rw"

  As I said to Dan before, I think symbolic notation is about applying a
mask to the existing file's modes, not editing them.  Of course, after
`u=rwx,g=rwx,o=rw' I can (more or less comfortably) add my mask `,a-w',
but still, I don't see any case when I'd want to *edit* modes.

> That would be nice, maybe with separating every part even with the same
> permissions, e.g. "u=rwx,g=rwx,o=rw" for less editing when the user and
> group part need different permissions.

  Well, what if I need to remove writing rights for everybody?  There's
no canonical notation (why not `ugo=rw,ug+x', or `ugo=rwx,o-x'?), and
it'd be painful for the user to first read the mode to see if it fits
his needs, modify them if it's the case or apply a `,a-w' mask after if
it isn't.

  I'm pretty much convinced we should not take an arbitrary decision
about that canonical form (the only canonical form I can think of is the
octal version).  Well, all this is my own point of view: when I want to
remove write rights for everyone, I think about `a-w', not about going
through a description and editing it.

  But again, if enough people think it could be useful, there's no
problem adding it.

-- 
 |   Michaël `Micha' Cadilhac       |  21 seems like a good value: half of   |
 |   http://michael.cadilhac.name   |  of 42 and just old enough to drink!   |
 |   JID/MSN:                       |   Why would you want to change it?     |
 `----  address@hidden  |          -- Stefan Monnier        -  --'

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