Number: 1021

Date:  8-May-84  9':58':10

Submitter: JonL.pa

Source: JonL.pa

Subject: DIRECTORY pattern oddity':   *.  versus  *.;

Lisp Version:  7-May-84 21':48':06

Description: (FILDIR ''<LISP>SOURCES>*.) returns only filesnames with no extension; but (FILDIR ''<LISP>SOURCES>*.;) seems to return all file names.  I would have expected that the latter not only excluded name with non-null extensions, but would also exclude all but the highest version number.'
'
-------'
Date': 29 Jun 84 12':28 PDT'
From': vanMelle.pa'
'
I think I finally have this all straightened out.  Including a field delimeter in the pattern overrides the default of * for the next field.  That is how you specify a null extension or null version.  Null version is interpreted as "highest".  Thus':'
'
DIR * = DIR *.* = DIR *.*;* enumerates everything.'
DIR *.	enumerates only files with null extension.'
DIR *.*;	enumerates highest version of everything.'
DIR *.;*	enumerates highest version of files with null extension.'
'
There are some hosts/devices that do not fully support "highest version" in enumeration; in fact, I believe only IFS''s do it properly right now.  Maxc apparently ignores the "Version = 0" specification.  DSK doesn''t support it because its directory isn''t sorted, though it could fake it at some expense.  NS file servers, of course, don''t do anything right, though they may get better with Services 8.0 when the Version attribute is supported.'
'
	Bill'


Workaround: 

Test Case: 

Edit-By: Sannella.PA

Edit-Date: 17-Aug-84 10':06':23

Attn: 

Assigned To: vanMelle

In/By: Harmony

Disposition: 

System: Operating System

Subsystem: Generic File Operations

Machine: 1132

Disk: 

Microcode Version: 5124

Memory Size: 4096

File Server: 

Server Software Version: 

Difficulty: 

Frequency: Everytime

Impact: Moderate

Priority: Hopefully

Status: Closed

Problem Type: Design - UI

Source Files: