Subject: Ftp-WG: Quick MLST/MLSD questions.

From: Alun Jones <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 31 Aug 1999 14:15:49 -0400

1. DOS has the concept of a 'hidden' file.
1a. If a directory is hidden, and has no contents (and its parent is also a
hidden directory), what should appear in the MLSD output of that directory?
 Should it be an empty data stream, or should one see a 5xx error?
1b. Are there any other situations where a client might validly see an
empty data stream as a result of MLSD?  Should the draft note that an empty
data stream is a valid result?
1c. Should MLST show details for a named file if it is hidden?  [Command
prompt doesn't list even a named file, if it is a hidden file, without the
'/A' or '/AH' parameters]

2. Win32 has shortcuts; Unix has links.  When MLST or MLSD are reporting
details of a shortcut file, what facts should be displayed pertaining to
the target of the shortcut, and what facts should be displayed pertaining
to the shortcut itself?
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From: Gregory A Lundberg <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 31 Aug 1999 14:54:22 -0400

My $0.02 ...

> '/A' or '/AH' parameters]

An error result means, "I'm sorry, you cannot do that."
An empty result should be allowed.  it means "Here's what I know .. absolutely
nothing at all  (except the inferred fact that what you asked for does
exist)."

1a:
The choice should be server-implementation dependant.  And the client
should not be surprised if a server does both based upon local conditions
in effect at the time of the result.

1b:
yes to both

1c:
See answer 1a

> the target of the shortcut, and what facts should be displayed pertaining

The least-common denominator, please.  Other facts MAY be there, but the
only ones which SHOULD be there are those one would reasonably expect to
exist in all implementations ofthis type of feature.  Namely:
 - Hi! I'm item number X
 - I'm an "alternate name"
 - I point to item Y
 - I think item Y's name is this
If you want to know more, ask item Y.

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From: Alun Jones <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 31 Aug 1999 16:15:01 -0400

>If you want to know more, ask item Y.

You didn't answer my question, or at least, not in a manner that I even
remotely understood.

The shortcut is a file - it's not an inode-based thing, like a Unix link.
Hence, the shortcut itself has a size, and a modification time, as well as
a name.  For instance, I have a shortcut file on my desktop folder labeled
"Eudora", which is a link to "D:\Program Files\Winsock
Programs\eudora\Eudora.exe" - when MLSD occurs with my desktop folder as
the target, should the name listed be
"D:\Winnt\Profiles\Alun\Desktop\Eudora" or "D:\Program Files\Winsock
Programs\eudora\Eudora.exe"?

This shortcut occupies 587 bytes, and has a modification time of Sunday,
March 15, 1998 5:38:12 PM - its target occupies 1,139,712 bytes, and was
last modified Tuesday, October 21, 1997 1:02:10 PM.  Now, in the MLSD of my
desktop directory, what should be listed in the size fact, and what in the
modify fact?

Alun.
~~~~

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From: Gregory A Lundberg <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 31 Aug 1999 16:44:06 -0400

> desktop directory, what should be listed in the size fact, and what in the

I would suggest that only the FTP site administrator knows.  Does she
intend the link to be downloaded (in which case I'd list the link's
properties) or does she intend the link to serve as an alternate name for
the target (like a Unix Symlink, in which case I'd list the target's size
and modtime).

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