[Nano-devel] [PATCH] files: do not silently ignore an invalid backup directory, but die

[Benno Schulenberg]

It would be horrible if the user expects to find numbered backups
of all the files that were changed but they are NOT there because
the config file contains a typo or the relevant directory was moved
or renamed or something.  So... if the specified backup directory
is not usable, nano should complain and simply not start up.
---
 src/files.c | 25 ++++++++++---------------
 src/nano.c  |  8 ++++----
 2 files changed, 14 insertions(+), 19 deletions(-)

diff --git a/src/files.c b/src/files.c
index 573c449a..16bea02f 100644
--- a/src/files.c
+++ b/src/files.c
@@ -1490,23 +1490,18 @@ int prompt_failed_backupwrite(const char *filename)
     return response;
 }
 
-/* Transform the specified backup directory to an absolute path. */
+/* Transform the specified backup directory to an absolute path,
+ * and verify that it is usable. */
 void init_backup_dir(void)
 {
-    char *full_backup_dir = get_full_path(backup_dir);
-
-    /* When we can't get an absolute path, or it's not a directory,
-     * cancel the making of backups. */
-    if (full_backup_dir == NULL ||
-               full_backup_dir[strlen(full_backup_dir) - 1] != '/') {
-       free(full_backup_dir);
-       free(backup_dir);
-       backup_dir = NULL;
-    } else {
-       free(backup_dir);
-       backup_dir = full_backup_dir;
-       snuggly_fit(&backup_dir);
-    }
+    backup_dir = free_and_assign(backup_dir, get_full_path(backup_dir));
+
+    /* If we can't get an absolute path (which means it doesn't exist or
+       isn't accessible), or it's not a directory, fail. */
+    if (backup_dir == NULL || backup_dir[strlen(backup_dir) - 1] != '/')
+       die(_("Invalid backup directory\n"));
+
+    snuggly_fit(&backup_dir);
 }
 #endif /* !NANO_TINY */
 
diff --git a/src/nano.c b/src/nano.c
index 44b83c9d..3526e72d 100644
--- a/src/nano.c
+++ b/src/nano.c
@@ -2374,10 +2374,10 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 #endif /* !DISABLE_HISTORIES */
 
 #ifndef NANO_TINY
-    /* If a backup directory was specified and we're not in restricted mode,
-     * make sure the path exists and is a directory, so that backup files can
-     * be saved there. */
-    if (backup_dir != NULL && !ISSET(RESTRICTED))
+    /* If a backup directory was specified and backups are enabled and
+     * we're not in restricted mode, make sure the path exists and is
+     * a directory, so that backup files can be saved there. */
+    if (backup_dir != NULL && !ISSET(RESTRICTED) && ISSET(BACKUP_FILE))
        init_backup_dir();
 #endif
 
-- 
2.13.2