UMSDOS BUG

System Manager (root@dillweed.et.byu.edu)
Fri, 31 May 1996 11:15:56 -0600 (MDT)


I don't know if this is the correct place to post this, but the
linux-msdos@vger.rutgers.edu seems devoted to dosemu...

When you try the following it reveals a nifty bug in UMSDOS:

Dillweed# mount /dev/hda5 /dos/d -t umsdos
Dillweed# ls /dos/d/linux
apps/ home/ root/
etc/ lodlin16.tgz* slakware/
Dillweed# mv /dos/d/linux/root/linux-1.99.5.tar.gz /dos/d/linux
Dillweed# ls /dos/d/linux
linux-1.99.5.tar.gz
Dillweed# umount /dos/d
Dillweed# mount /dev/hda5 /dos/d -t msdos
Dillweed# ls /dos/d/linux
--linux-.---* etc/ linux-1_.{__* root/
apps/ home/ lodlin16.tgz* slakware/
Dillweed# mv "/dos/d/linux/linux-1_.{__" /dos/d/linux/root/linux1_9.5
Dillweed# umount /dos/d
Dillweed# mount /dev/hda5 /dos/d -t umsdos
Dillweed# ls /dos/d/linux
Dillweed#

When a file with a long file name is used, UMSDOS creates the
special file "--linux-.---" which contains its own opinion of the directory
listing. If it finds such a file, it IGNORES the m$dos directory listing, as
shown above. This also demonstrates that if the directory listing changes
indepentant of UMSDOS, it is only aware of the files tracked in its own special
file. When I first noticed this bug, I thought UMSDOS had just blown
away all my linux backup stuff (one of the few things m$dos is good for). I
primarily use UMSDOS to maintain backup files for linux on my m$dos partition,
and this bug makes it nasty to do so. I don't want to stick with 8.3 filenames.
Keep up the great work,
Erik

Erik B. Andersen
2485 South State St. email: andersee@et.byu.edu
Springville, Ut 84663 phone: (801) 489-1231
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