RE: [Evolution] evolution folder layout (Off-topic)

[Paul Bleisch <pbleisch digitalanvil com>]

Sorry for the multiple replies -- fumbly thumbs.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jeffrey P. Lanza [mailto:jpl alumni unh edu]
> Sent: Wednesday, April 12, 2000 1:18 PM
> To: evolution helixcode com
> Subject: RE: [Evolution] evolution folder layout (Off-topic)
>
> have *no* restrictions on filenames.  That is, a user should type in a
> file or folder name, Evolution should submit it to the OS via a system
> call, and the system call should blow up if the name is illegal.  Thus,
> Evolution will conform to the filesystem's conventions regardless of what
> the filesystem or OS happens to be.

So evolution would pop up a dialog and say what?  "Sorry, that folder
name is illegal for some reason.  Please try again."  And the user
(after all, it is the user that matters right?) would do what?  Type
in something again?  Or the user could pop up a help window and see
that Evolution requires folder names to match the filesytem convention.
Of course then the user would have to go find the filenaming convention
somewhere to see what that means (i.e. how is case sensitivity handled
in the Windows/DOS filesystems?).  At a minimum the folder naming convention
has to be well defined *within* Evolution -- even if you let the system
calls
arbitrate the convention, it still has to be documented.

>   How is this better or more simple than following the 
> well-established conventions currently in practice?  And what sort of 
> characters are you looking for that you *need* this map?  My philosophy 
> here is to not add more code than is needed, especially since you 
> have perfectly good system calls that will handle filename restrictions 
> for you.

It is simpler because the user doesn't have to worry about characters.
I *think* it is better because it seems to handle internationalization 
more robustly -- how well do filesystems (and system calls) handle
unicode? [this is a question, i don't know the answer]  It *is* well 
established if you think of the folder names as labels.  Imagine if the 
label of a UI widget had to follow some specific convention like 
filesystem naming or C token naming -- everything would look like
consultants did the UI.

So (just to be clear) can I use a filename like "Linux/OpenGL"? (minus 
the quotes)?  Or "plib:dev" (again minus the quotes)?  If I put
quotes in the folder name, what happens?  (i.e. "Cool" Stuff).  Are
dollar signs legal in filesystems?  I'd hate to have to give up
my "Dumb$hit$ folder. Can you answer these questions without knowing 
what filesystem type I am storing my folders on?  

If they are illegal, what would I see (a dialog, help, etc..) Unless 
there is some code in Evolution to verify the name of the folder to 
*some* standard it is nearly impossible to give *useful* feedback to 
the user about their mistake.

These are things I use already in my current mailer/organizer and I
would prefer (as others would too I would think) that my mailer/organizer
not tell me how to organize my data for me, I just want it to help
me do it.

Paul