bug#6817: (Feature request w/ patch) wdired should create directories needed for destination files

bug#6817: (Feature request w/ patch) wdired should create directories needed for destination files

[Phil Sung]

[-- Attachment #1: Type: text/plain, Size: 482 bytes --]

It is sometimes useful in wdired to be able to move files into
directories that don't yet exist, e.g. when one is reorganizing files
and directories. The attached patch (against git HEAD), based on
previous work by Joakim Verona (source:
http://www.emacswiki.org/emacs/WDired), makes wdired create parent
directories needed as necessary for the destination files, conditional
on the variable `wdired-create-parent-directories'.

What do others think of this feature?

Regards,
Phil

[-- Attachment #2: wdired-create-parent-directories.patch --]
[-- Type: text/x-patch, Size: 1661 bytes --]

diff --git a/lisp/wdired.el b/lisp/wdired.el
index 375bc26..c8997f3 100644
--- a/lisp/wdired.el
+++ b/lisp/wdired.el
@@ -168,6 +168,16 @@ program `dired-chmod-program', which must exist."
 		 (other :tag "Bits freely editable" advanced))
   :group 'wdired)
 
+(defcustom wdired-create-parent-directories nil
+  "If non-nil, create parent directories of destination files.
+
+If non-nil, when you rename a file to a destination path within a
+nonexistent directory, wdired will create any parent directories
+necessary. When nil, attempts to rename a file into a nonexistent
+directory will fail."
+  :type 'boolean
+  :group 'wdired)
+
 (defvar wdired-mode-map
   (let ((map (make-sparse-keymap)))
     (define-key map "\C-x\C-s" 'wdired-finish-edit)
@@ -478,6 +488,8 @@ non-nil means return old filename."
               (require 'dired-aux)
               (condition-case err
                   (let ((dired-backup-overwrite nil))
+                    (and wdired-create-parent-directories
+                         (wdired-create-parentdirs file-new))
                     (dired-rename-file file-ori file-new
                                        overwrite))
                 (error
@@ -487,6 +499,11 @@ non-nil means return old filename."
                             err)))))))))
     errors))
 
+(defun wdired-create-parentdirs (file-new)
+  "Create parent directories for FILE-NEW if they don't exist."
+  (and (not (file-exists-p (file-name-directory file-new)))
+       (message "Creating directory for file %s" file-new)
+       (make-directory (file-name-directory file-new) t)))
 
 (defun wdired-exit ()
   "Exit wdired and return to dired mode.

bug#6817: (Feature request w/ patch) wdired should create directories needed for destination files

[Lars Ingebrigtsen]

Phil Sung <philbert@gmail.com> writes:

> It is sometimes useful in wdired to be able to move files into
> directories that don't yet exist, e.g. when one is reorganizing files
> and directories. The attached patch (against git HEAD), based on
> previous work by Joakim Verona (source:
> http://www.emacswiki.org/emacs/WDired), makes wdired create parent
> directories needed as necessary for the destination files, conditional
> on the variable `wdired-create-parent-directories'.
>
> What do others think of this feature?

[...]

> +(defcustom wdired-create-parent-directories nil
> +  "If non-nil, create parent directories of destination files.
> +
> +If non-nil, when you rename a file to a destination path within a
> +nonexistent directory, wdired will create any parent directories
> +necessary. When nil, attempts to rename a file into a nonexistent
> +directory will fail."
> +  :type 'boolean
> +  :group 'wdired)

[...]

> +(defun wdired-create-parentdirs (file-new)
> +  "Create parent directories for FILE-NEW if they don't exist."
> +  (and (not (file-exists-p (file-name-directory file-new)))
> +       (message "Creating directory for file %s" file-new)
> +       (make-directory (file-name-directory file-new) t)))

I think this makes sense, but I've used wdired very little, so I don't
quite have a handle on whether this is a use case that people would
like.  (And if so, the default should probably be t, here.)

Opinions?

-- 
(domestic pets only, the antidote for overdose, milk.)
   bloggy blog: http://lars.ingebrigtsen.no

bug#6817: (Feature request w/ patch) wdired should create directories needed for destination files

[Ingo Lohmar]

On Fri, Feb 26 2016 17:14 (+1030), Lars Ingebrigtsen wrote:

> Phil Sung <philbert@gmail.com> writes:
>
>> It is sometimes useful in wdired to be able to move files into
>> directories that don't yet exist, e.g. when one is reorganizing files
>> and directories. The attached patch (against git HEAD), based on
>> previous work by Joakim Verona (source:
>> http://www.emacswiki.org/emacs/WDired), makes wdired create parent
>> directories needed as necessary for the destination files, conditional
>> on the variable `wdired-create-parent-directories'.
>>
>> What do others think of this feature?
>
> [...]
>
>> +(defcustom wdired-create-parent-directories nil
>> +  "If non-nil, create parent directories of destination files.
>> +
>> +If non-nil, when you rename a file to a destination path within a
>> +nonexistent directory, wdired will create any parent directories
>> +necessary. When nil, attempts to rename a file into a nonexistent
>> +directory will fail."
>> +  :type 'boolean
>> +  :group 'wdired)
>
> [...]
>
>> +(defun wdired-create-parentdirs (file-new)
>> +  "Create parent directories for FILE-NEW if they don't exist."
>> +  (and (not (file-exists-p (file-name-directory file-new)))
>> +       (message "Creating directory for file %s" file-new)
>> +       (make-directory (file-name-directory file-new) t)))
>
> I think this makes sense, but I've used wdired very little, so I don't
> quite have a handle on whether this is a use case that people would
> like.  (And if so, the default should probably be t, here.)
>
> Opinions?



I've been running with this patch for years (though not extensively
using it), and it has never failed me.  I think this is a very useful
addition, and would also like the "t"-default, though that is not
essential..

bug#6817: (Feature request w/ patch) wdired should create directories needed for destination files

[John Wiegley]

>>>>> Ingo Lohmar <i.lohmar@gmail.com> writes:

> I've been running with this patch for years (though not extensively using
> it), and it has never failed me. I think this is a very useful addition, and
> would also like the "t"-default, though that is not essential..

I think that having wdired DRTR with regard to what the renamed version of a
file should "mean" (i.e., if it implies the existence of directories that
don't yet exist, and so create them), sounds useful to me.


-- 
John Wiegley                  GPG fingerprint = 4710 CF98 AF9B 327B B80F
http://newartisans.com                          60E1 46C4 BD1A 7AC1 4BA2

bug#6817: (Feature request w/ patch) wdired should create directories needed for destination files

[Lars Ingebrigtsen]

John Wiegley <jwiegley@gmail.com> writes:

>>>>>> Ingo Lohmar <i.lohmar@gmail.com> writes:
>
>> I've been running with this patch for years (though not extensively using
>> it), and it has never failed me. I think this is a very useful addition, and
>> would also like the "t"-default, though that is not essential..
>
> I think that having wdired DRTR with regard to what the renamed version of a
> file should "mean" (i.e., if it implies the existence of directories that
> don't yet exist, and so create them), sounds useful to me.

Ok; I'll apply the patch to the trunk.

-- 
(domestic pets only, the antidote for overdose, milk.)
   bloggy blog: http://lars.ingebrigtsen.no