RE: updates?

[Paul Hepworth <phepworth s-vision com>]

> > On the subject of VFS code, what is the chance of having extended
> attributes
> > (EAs) added to the VFS as was previously discussed (in response to
> kdelink
> > discussion)?  Is this going to be a "you want it, you add it" thing?  :)
> 
> Can you refresh my memory as to what is an Extended Attribute?
> 
Filesystem support for adding "stuff" to a file, example icon name, short
description, file type, window position, application command preferences,
last cursor positions, anything you want.  When you move or copy a file (or
zip / tar it), the EAs go with it.  They are perfect for a desktop / file
manager to store icon, position, etc.  They are built into OS/2, VMS, and
WindowsNT (hpfs anyway, not sure about ntfs).  OS/2 uses them extensively in
its workplace shell.  For unix, they'd be added at the VFS level (visible as
separate files in the real file system):  For example, I might have
./Foo.txt with its EAs in ./.EAs/Foo.txt.  Under the VFS, any mv/cp/whatnot
of ./Foo.txt would simultaneously mv/cp/etc ./.EAs/Foo.txt as if they were a
single file.  Functions like get_EA(), fopen_EA(), etc. provide application
access to the EAs.  From the desktop/file manager, invoking "properties"
would allow the EAs to be viewed/modified.  This is in preference to kludgey
win95 .lnk- and kdelink-type information files.  EAs are used for more than
program objects, too.  Noteably to store last edit cursor positions,
preferred editor, startup command line, backup location, whatever clever
uses programmers' conceive.


Paul