From: corinna DOT vinschen AT cityweb DOT de (Corinna Vinschen)
Subject: Re: New winsup snapshot 9/14/98
16 Sep 1998 05:45:12 -0700
Message-ID: <35FFB21E.675039B6.cygnus.cygwin32.developers@cityweb.de>
References: <19980914141243 DOT 37248 AT cygnus DOT com>
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To: cygwin32-developers AT cygnus DOT com

Hello,

I have figured out my problem in compiling winsup, it works now,
but with newlib-980530.

In the new file 'path.cc' I have seen somthing, which is IMHO
disappointing.
My changes to winsup-980812 contain code, which makes it
possible, to use any device name, beginning with '/dev/', for
raw devices, such as tape, floppy and disk. It's simple, if one
uses the native windows device names for the decision.
Now I see, that the method mount_info::conv_to_win32_path
calls the function win32_device_name before any other code and
this function lets one use only static device names, which doesn't
represent the possibilities of WinNT. There's neither room for
norewind tapes nor for the distinction between raw disk
partitions '\\.\X:' and raw physical drives '\\.\harddriveN'.
Now I'm not sure, how to integrate this changes from my code,
into the new winsup.

I think, the following way would be better:
1. Method mount_info::conv_to_win32_path()
   - Call win32_device_name() with special third parameter.

2. Function get_device_number():
    - Third parameter, to decide, from whom it's called.
    - If called by 'conv_win32_path()': Returns device names
      only for non mass storage devices (e.g. tty).
    - else returns device number, but uses WinNT path, to
      generate wellformed major and minor numbers.

Other opinions?
If not, I would reimplement this in the above manner.

Regards,
Corinna