Re: GNU Fileutils and GNU/Hurd extentions.

[Jim Meyering]

Hi Alfred,

Thanks for helping with GNU.
Please send future suggestions about the fileutils to the
mailing list, address@hidden

  http://mail.gnu.org/pipermail/bug-fileutils/

If you're interested in discussion (and with new feature addition
that's always a good idea), you'll find a wider audience at
address@hidden

address@hidden (Alfred M. Szmidt) wrote:
> I'm currently working on adding some GNU/Hurd extensions to the
> FIleutils package (unknown user bit, author flag, etc), and have a few
> questions.
>
> What is the correct way to define that the target system is running GNU?

Do you mean `detect' rather than `define'?
Usually the compiler defines symbols that tell what
type of system it's compiling for.

If you mean `detect', then please reconsider your approach.
Instead, please look into using autoconf-style feature tests
that detect the precise function/interface/semantics/functionality
that you want to use.  Then write an autoconf macro that sets
HAVE_SOME_FEATURE appropriately and make the code test that macro.

> I first thought of using __GNU__, but decided that I was unsure that this
> was the correct way of doing it.
>
> And is there any legal paper work that I should be concerned about?

Yes.  If you make substantial changes that end up being incorporated,
you'll have to have signed/snailed copyright papers to the FSF.

> Here is an small example on how `ls' will work on GNU (/dev/null being an
> passive translator and /dev/active (fictions translator) being an active one):
> $ ls -l /dev/null /dev/active
> crw-rw-rw-rw-    1 root     mhp        0,   0 Jan 25 20:56 /dev/null => 
> /hurd/null (17)
> crw-r--r--r--    1 ams      ams        0,   0 Mar  8 14:38 /dev/active => 
> unknown (760)

This behavior should not be the default.
Many programs parse the output of `ls -l', and wouldn't be able
to handle such a change.

> And the --author/-E switch to show the author flag of the file:
> $ ls -lE /dev/null
> crw-rw-rw-rw-    1 root     mhp     mhp        0,   0 Jan 25 20:56 /dev/null 
> => /hurd/null (17)
>
> Also, I change chmod to support the unknown user permission bits, and plan to 
> introduce a new utility called chauthor (to change the author field).
>
> --
> Alfred M. Szmidt