Number: 2155

Date: 12-Sep-84 08':13':59

Submitter: le.pasa

Source: Bill White(Teknowledge)

Subject: Should search for file before asking user for password

Assigned To: 

Attn: Masinter, VanMelle

Status: Declined

In/By: 

Problem Type: Design - Impl

Impact: Annoying

Difficulty: 

Frequency: 

Priority: Unlikely

System: Operating System

Subsystem: Generic File Operations

Machine: 1108

Disk: 

Lisp Version: 

Source Files: 

Microcode Version: 

Memory Size: 

File Server: 

Server Software Version: 

Disposition: '
["Sannella.PA" "12-Sep-84 13':12':46" Subject': Status':(New->Open) Priority':(->Unlikely) Subsystem':(Other->Generic% File% Operations)]Subject': AR#2155, "Should search for file before asking user for password"'
To': Le.pasa, White@Sumex-aim'
cc': vanMelle, LispSupport'
'
Most file servers require a name and password before they will tell you whether the file exists. This is true of Tops-20s as well as IFS, NS File servers, etc. There is in general no good way to search for the file before asking the user for the password': the "ask for password" prompt comes only after trying the null password and having it rejected.'
'
(Status': Open -> Declined) '
'
["masinter" "24-Sep-84 18':27':31" Status':(Open->Declined) Disposition':]

Description: While running InterLisp-D, if one needs a file from a file server, InterLisp-D always asks user to log in with a password before it searchs for the existence of the file.    This is  annoying ;especially ,when it returns with -file not found -in directory .  Is there any way that InterLisp-D should first look for file, and if file exists ,  then return asking user to log in?

Workaround: 

Test Case: 

Edit-By: masinter

Edit-Date: 24-Sep-84 18':27':32