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ID Category Severity Type Date Submitted Last Update
0000635 [1003.1(2008)/Issue 7] Shell and Utilities Objection Clarification Requested 2012-12-13 10:36 2019-06-10 08:55
Reporter geoffclare View Status public  
Assigned To ajosey
Priority normal Resolution Accepted  
Status Closed  
Name Geoff Clare
Organization The Open Group
User Reference
Section uudecode
Page Number 3291
Line Number 109831
Interp Status Approved
Final Accepted Text See Note: 0001433
Summary 0000635: Clarify that uudecode ignores chmod() errors
Description The description of uudecode states:

    If the pathname of the file to be produced exists, and the user
    does not have write permission on that file, uudecode shall
    terminate with an error. If the pathname of the file to be
    produced exists, and the user has write permission on that file,
    the existing file shall be overwritten.

I think the intention is that this is meant to override the general
rules about error conditions, so that if the file exists and has
a different owner, but is writable, uudecode should still overwrite
the file (and exit with status zero), even though it can't change
the permissions. This is long-standing existing practice.

It would be better if the standard were to state explicitly that if
uudecode can't change the permissions it is not an error.

A minor editorial correction should also be made to "If the pathname of
the file to be produced exists", since strictly speaking the pathname
itself always exists; the condition should be on whether the pathname
resolves to an existing file.
Desired Action Change:

    If the pathname of the file to be produced exists, and the user
    does not have write permission on that file, uudecode shall
    terminate with an error. If the pathname of the file to be
    produced exists, and the user has write permission on that file,
    the existing file shall be overwritten.

to:

    If the pathname of the file resolves to an existing file and the
    user does not have write permission on that file, uudecode shall
    terminate with an error. If the pathname of the file resolves to
    an existing file and the user has write permission on that file,
    the existing file shall be overwritten and, if possible, the mode
    bits of the file (other than standard output) shall be set as
    described above; if the mode bits cannot be set, uudecode shall
    not treat this as an error.
Tags tc2-2008
Attached Files

- Relationships

-  Notes
(0001433)
Don Cragun (manager)
2012-12-20 16:21

Interpretation response
------------------------
The standard states that an error has to be raised if the mode change fails, and conforming implementations must conform to this. However, concerns have been raised about this which are being referred to the sponsor.

Rationale:
-------------
The current standard does not match existing (and desired) behavior.

Notes to the Editor (not part of this interpretation):
-------------------------------------------------------
Make the suggested changes.
(0001436)
brkorb (reporter)
2012-12-20 21:04
edited on: 2012-12-20 21:11

GNU shar's script will complain, but continue and exit based on any following conditions.

> chmod 0644 'shar-1.in'
> if test $? -ne 0
> then ${echo} "restore of shar-1.in failed"
> fi

Leastwise for scripts. The uudecode program itself, on the other hand *WILL* die

  if (UU_CHMOD(outname, fileno (fp), mode) != 0)
    {
      error (0, errno, _("chmod of %s"), outname);
      return EXIT_FAILURE;
    }

the output file is truncated and no data are written. This has been so for a long time.

(0001517)
ajosey (manager)
2013-03-29 08:04

Interpretation Proposed 29 Mar 2013
(0001579)
ajosey (manager)
2013-05-03 12:20

Interpretation approved 3 May 2013

- Issue History
Date Modified Username Field Change
2012-12-13 10:36 geoffclare New Issue
2012-12-13 10:36 geoffclare Status New => Under Review
2012-12-13 10:36 geoffclare Assigned To => ajosey
2012-12-13 10:36 geoffclare Name => Geoff Clare
2012-12-13 10:36 geoffclare Organization => The Open Group
2012-12-13 10:36 geoffclare Section => uudecode
2012-12-13 10:36 geoffclare Page Number => 3291
2012-12-13 10:36 geoffclare Line Number => 109831
2012-12-13 10:36 geoffclare Interp Status => ---
2012-12-20 16:21 Don Cragun Interp Status --- => Pending
2012-12-20 16:21 Don Cragun Note Added: 0001433
2012-12-20 16:21 Don Cragun Status Under Review => Interpretation Required
2012-12-20 16:21 Don Cragun Resolution Open => Accepted
2012-12-20 16:22 Don Cragun Final Accepted Text => See Note: 0001433
2012-12-20 16:22 Don Cragun Tag Attached: tc2-2008
2012-12-20 21:04 brkorb Note Added: 0001436
2012-12-20 21:11 brkorb Note Edited: 0001436
2013-03-29 08:04 ajosey Interp Status Pending => Proposed
2013-03-29 08:04 ajosey Note Added: 0001517
2013-05-03 12:20 ajosey Interp Status Proposed => Approved
2013-05-03 12:20 ajosey Note Added: 0001579
2019-06-10 08:55 agadmin Status Interpretation Required => Closed


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