GNU bug report logs - #75762
[shepherd] Confusion about relative file names

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

From: Dariqq <dariqq <at> posteo.net>
To: bug-guix <at> gnu.org
Subject: [shepherd] Confusion about relative file names
Date: Wed, 22 Jan 2025 15:30:40 +0000

Hello,

Was reading through the shepherd manual and it seems to contain 
contradictory information regarding relative file names:

In Chapter 3 ('herd' and 'shepherd') the manual reads

> Since herd passes its current working directory to ‘shepherd’, you can pass relative file names without trouble.

Chapter 3.2 (Invoking 'herd')

> If you pass a file name as an ARG, it will be passed as-is to the Shepherd, thus if it is not an absolute name, it is local to the current working directory of ‘shepherd’, not to herd.

So which one is it or is there something I am missing here?

Message #8 received at 75762 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Ludovic Courtès <ludo <at> gnu.org>
To: Dariqq <dariqq <at> posteo.net>
Cc: 75762 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#75762: [shepherd] Confusion about relative file names
Date: Wed, 05 Feb 2025 11:21:25 +0100

Hi Dariqq,

Dariqq <dariqq <at> posteo.net> skribis:

> Was reading through the shepherd manual and it seems to contain
> contradictory information regarding relative file names:
>
> In Chapter 3 ('herd' and 'shepherd') the manual reads
>
>> Since herd passes its current working directory to ‘shepherd’, you can pass relative file names without trouble.
>
> Chapter 3.2 (Invoking 'herd')
>
>> If you pass a file name as an ARG, it will be passed as-is to the Shepherd, thus if it is not an absolute name, it is local to the current working directory of ‘shepherd’, not to herd.
>
> So which one is it or is there something I am missing here?

The situation actually depends on the action you’re running.

Starting from 1a8d686b7fa617d9b1df33858957a240b7e11787, shepherd no
longer changes directory to the client’s directory.  So now it’s up to
its action to interpret file names as it wants.  We should update the
manual accordingly.

Did you have a specific action in mind though?

Ludo’.

Message #11 received at 75762 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Dariqq <dariqq <at> posteo.net>
To: Ludovic Courtès <ludo <at> gnu.org>
Cc: 75762 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#75762: [shepherd] Confusion about relative file names
Date: Wed,  5 Feb 2025 11:42:58 +0000

Hi Ludo,

On 05.02.25 11:21, Ludovic Courtès wrote:
> Hi Dariqq,
> 
> Dariqq <dariqq <at> posteo.net> skribis:
> 
>> Was reading through the shepherd manual and it seems to contain
>> contradictory information regarding relative file names:
>>
>> In Chapter 3 ('herd' and 'shepherd') the manual reads
>>
>>> Since herd passes its current working directory to ‘shepherd’, you can pass relative file names without trouble.
>>
>> Chapter 3.2 (Invoking 'herd')
>>
>>> If you pass a file name as an ARG, it will be passed as-is to the Shepherd, thus if it is not an absolute name, it is local to the current working directory of ‘shepherd’, not to herd.
>>
>> So which one is it or is there something I am missing here?
> 
> The situation actually depends on the action you’re running.
> 
> Starting from 1a8d686b7fa617d9b1df33858957a240b7e11787, shepherd no
> longer changes directory to the client’s directory.  So now it’s up to
> its action to interpret file names as it wants.  We should update the
> manual accordingly.
> 
> Did you have a specific action in mind though?
> 
I was prototyping a user daemon via 'herd load root' before I was ready 
to commit it to my home-environment and was a bit surprised that I had 
to use the full path resp. a path relative to $HOME. This would be 
consistent with the info in section 3.2 but not what I would expect.


> Ludo’.

Message #16 received at 75762-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Ludovic Courtès <ludo <at> gnu.org>
To: Dariqq <dariqq <at> posteo.net>
Cc: 75762-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#75762: [shepherd] Confusion about relative file names
Date: Fri, 07 Feb 2025 12:26:08 +0100

Hi,

Dariqq <dariqq <at> posteo.net> skribis:

>> The situation actually depends on the action you’re running.
>> Starting from 1a8d686b7fa617d9b1df33858957a240b7e11787, shepherd no
>> longer changes directory to the client’s directory.  So now it’s up to
>> its action to interpret file names as it wants.  We should update the
>> manual accordingly.
>> Did you have a specific action in mind though?
>> 
> I was prototyping a user daemon via 'herd load root' before I was
> ready to commit it to my home-environment and was a bit surprised that
> I had to use the full path resp. a path relative to $HOME. This would
> be consistent with the info in section 3.2 but not what I would
> expect.

Right.  I pushed a clarification as
882e56ce168c2ddb014cf35e2767d78778e0ba64.

Thanks!

Ludo’.

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