GNU bug report logs - #34816
25.2; dired regexp fails for filenames that begin with a space

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From: Stefan Kangas <stefan <at> marxist.se>
To: Michael Albinus <michael.albinus <at> gmx.de>
Cc: Andrew Eggenberger <andrew <at> lakecitygraphic.com>, 34816 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: bug#34816: 25.2; dired regexp fails for filenames that begin with a space
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 2020 17:00:50 +0000

Michael Albinus <michael.albinus <at> gmx.de> writes:

> Andrew Eggenberger <andrew <at> lakecitygraphic.com> writes:
>
> Hi Andrew,
>
>> Trying to use dired-do-rename-regexp caused the following error:
>>
>> (file-error Renaming No such file or directory
>> /Users/andrew/Public/Temp_2019/Temp_2.25.19/Tiger Pride/- 1B, Thieren,
>> Addison.JPG /Users/andrew/Public/Temp_2019/Temp_2.25.19/Tiger
>> Pride/Addison, Thieren.jpg)
>>
>> The reason for the file error is that the filename actually begins
>> with
>> a space character before the hyphen. It appears that the mechanism
>> used to identify filenames within dired isn't sensitive to opening
>> spaces.
>
> It isn't as simple as it looks. Often, dired uses a command like "ls -al
> --dired". This gives precise information, where file names are located
> in the output, and Emacs could determine also file names starting with
> spaces.
>
> If this ls option isn't available, something like "ls -al" is
> applied. From the output it isn't obvious, whether a leading space
> belongs to a file name, or whether it is just a separator to the
> date. One could implement heuristics (check the column other file names
> start with), but this isn't implemented.
>
> If it comes to remote file names, the situation is even worse, because
> you cannot always assume a proper ls command on the remote side.
>
> One alternative for you might to use ls-lisp.el. It doesn't apply "ls
> -al", but tries to collect the needed information differently. Due to
> this, dired might have a better idea about file names.
>
> Best regards, Michael.

So is the conclusion here to either use GNU ls, or otherwise ls-lisp.el?
If so, should this bug be closed?

Best regards,
Stefan Kangas

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