GNU bug report logs - #54338
enhancement (documentation): explain permission tests in "test"

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Message #5 received at submit <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: "Ulrich Windl" <Ulrich.Windl <at> rz.uni-regensburg.de>
To: <bug-coreutils <at> gnu.org>
Subject: enhancement (documentation): explain permission tests in
 "test"
Date: Fri, 11 Mar 2022 11:42:13 +0100

I noticed that "test -r file" returns success when called as root for a file
with these permissions:
"--w-------" (see also https://stackoverflow.com/q/71435657/6607497)

The documentation simply states:
‘-r FILE’
     True if FILE exists and read permission is granted.

Doing an strace it seems stat() is used to check the permissions (well, what
about ACLs, just in case?)

I think there should be a better explanatiomn how the permission tests work,
especially when called as "root".

(Report based on coreutils-8.32-150300.3.5.1 from openSUSE Leap 15.3)

Message #10 received at 54338-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Pádraig Brady <P <at> draigBrady.com>
To: Ulrich Windl <Ulrich.Windl <at> rz.uni-regensburg.de>,
 54338-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#54338: enhancement (documentation): explain permission tests
 in "test"
Date: Fri, 11 Mar 2022 12:51:12 +0000

[Message part 1 (text/plain, inline)]

On 11/03/2022 10:42, Ulrich Windl wrote:
> I noticed that "test -r file" returns success when called as root for a file
> with these permissions:
> "--w-------" (see also https://stackoverflow.com/q/71435657/6607497)
> 
> The documentation simply states:
> ‘-r FILE’
>       True if FILE exists and read permission is granted.
> 
> Doing an strace it seems stat() is used to check the permissions (well, what
> about ACLs, just in case?)
> 
> I think there should be a better explanatiomn how the permission tests work,
> especially when called as "root".
> 
> (Report based on coreutils-8.32-150300.3.5.1 from openSUSE Leap 15.3)

I agree the current docs are ambiguous.
I'll apply the attached later to address this.

thanks,
Pádraig

[test-access.diff (text/x-patch, attachment)]

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