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List:       boost
Subject:    Re: [boost] [filesystem] "leaf"
From:       Bjørn_Roald <bjorn () 4roald ! org>
Date:       2008-05-31 6:05:38
Message-ID: 4840EAB2.10802 () 4roald ! org
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David Abrahams wrote:
> on Thu May 29 2008, John Femiani <JOHN.FEMIANI-AT-asu.edu> wrote:
>
>   
>>  
>>     
>>>>>> If possible, at this late stage, the names should be changed.
>>>>>>             
>>>>> Why don't you and Dave come up with a proposed set of names? The 
>>>>> current names are:
>>>>>
>>>>>        root_path
>>>>>        root_name
>>>>>        root_directory
>>>>>        relative_path
>>>>>        leaf
>>>>>        branch_path
>>>>>        basename
>>>>>        extension
>>>>>           
>>>> I think all these names are fine except "leaf" and "branch_path".
>>>> If anyone asked me "What does the function branch_path return?", I 
>>>> would answer "The parent directory."
>>>> So why not call it parent_directory_path?
>>>>         
>>> Or just parent_path(). That's an interesting suggestion, thanks!
>>>
>>>       
>> FYI:
>>
>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filename
>>
>> I think it is interesting that the wikipedia community distinguishes
>> windows filenames from unix filenames, so that on unix systems the
>> 'extension' is part of the name but on windows systems it is not.
>>     
>
> The latter is "true" in some sense from the user's perspective, or at
> least Windows tries to present that illusion.  But every programmer
> quickly learns that the extension *is* really part of the file's name on
> Windows.  We're presenting names for programmers, not GUI users.
>   

Agree,

The Windows system API tell the truth about what a file name is in a 
file system under Windows, not the GUI.

One can also say windows is not very consistent in making this illusion 
in the GUI.  You can set up explorer to show the extension as part of 
.... the filename.  Also what about file open/close dialogs in most 
applications?

You can also look at it this way.  If it is an extension, what does it 
extend? ... the filename, right!  So if the filename is extended with an 
extension, what  is the extension part of? ... the filename, right!

-- 
Bjørn
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