[BUG] vi does not recognize changed permissions on read only files

Harald Becker ralda at gmx.de
Thu Oct 11 01:16:28 UTC 2012


Hi Jim !

>Normally, in an editor, you do NOT do this.  Consider what happens
>if, behind the scenes, somebody did an "rm file".  Your hours of
>typing would go into a still-open file, to an anonymous inode, and
>then quietly disappear.

... which I call correct behavior! If someone removed the file you are
currently editing this shall have a reason.

>This would not work if you'd held the FD open all that time.

Holding FD open is the indicator to many systems (especially network
file systems) that someone is working at the file and some kind
of locking shall be done. That is no one else shall modify the files
contents while you are working at it.

If you are going to edit data for a longer period of time, create a
private copy of that file which no one else touch for the period of
time you need. Afterwards you can merge your work to the global file
(possibly without neglecting the work of others).

--
Harald


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