Re: case sensitivity and filenames

["Larry Hall (RFK Partners, Inc.)" <lhall at rfk dot com>]

Lester Ingber wrote:
> I keep seeing postings from experienced Cygwin developers that it is a
> nightmare to consider adding full case sensitivity to Cygwin.
>
> I also have Interix on my system, a (failed?) Microsoft attempt
> to introduce a gnu-based unix shell.  Albeit is has limited tools,
> in fact it looks to me that it *does* respect true case sensitivity.
> For example, I have untarred directories that contain files/directories
> differing only by the case of the names, etc.
>
> If so, then why can't Interix provide a template for this feature?
>
> Lester


I don't believe Interix is in the business of handing out templates of
their features for other's use but I suppose you could ask them about it
if you're interested.

Interix uses the POSIX subsystem, not the Win32 subsystem with the Windows
API.  It's a different base focused on a different goal.  It's an attempt
to provide a POSIX environment *separate from* the Windows environment.
Cygwin provides a POSIX environment within the Windows environment.  You
can't use both the POSIX subsystem and the Win32 subsystem at the same
time.  But regardless, you'll still have trouble, say, accessing 2 files
in the same directory that differ only by case with Windows tools, no
matter how those files were created (FYI, the Win32 API will allow the
creation of 2 *files* in the same directory with the same name that differs
only by case on *NTFS* partitions).  The point is that there are limitations
to what the Win32 API allows and the ability of Windows tools to interact
with these variations.  Changing that simply would generate more problems
for users and, most likely, even more questions on this list (How come I
can't create 2 files differing only by case in a directory on my FAT
partition?  Why can't I create 2 directories differing only by case in the
same directory?  Why won't Notepad open "aaa.txt" instead of "AaA.TxT"?
Etc.)

That's it in a nutshell, minus a technical issue or two perhaps.  As
always, PTC (see <http://cygwin.com/acronyms/#PTC>)

--
Larry Hall                              http://www.rfk.com
RFK Partners, Inc.                      (508) 893-9779 - RFK Office
838 Washington Street                   (508) 893-9889 - FAX
Holliston, MA 01746


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