Request to support Cygwin in convert-standard-filename function

Request to support Cygwin in convert-standard-filename function

[Xi Shen]

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Hello,

I encounter a problem with `convert-standard-filename`,
https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/html_node/elisp/Standard-File-Names.html.
I call this function within a Cygwin environment, and this function could
not return me a MS-DOS/Windows format path. I think it treats Cygwin
environment as a normal *nix environment.

In Cygwin environment, the Emacs has a function called
`cygwin-convert-file-name-to-windows` which converts a expanded path to a
Windows path, e.g.:

    /cygdrive/c/Windows => c:\Windows

According to the description of the `convert-standard-filename`, it is
expected to be used only in places where the callee wants to convert a *nix
path to the underline OS path. I think it is appropriate we invoke the `
cygwin-convert-file-name-to-windows`  function inside the
`convert-standard-filename` function if it is called within a Cygwin
environment.

I am eager to hear your feedback.


Thanks,
David

-- 

Thanks,
David S.

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Re: Request to support Cygwin in convert-standard-filename function

[Eli Zaretskii]

> From: Xi Shen <davidshen84@gmail.com>
> Date: Sun, 12 Jun 2016 02:51:14 +0000
> 
> I encounter a problem with `convert-standard-filename`,
> https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/html_node/elisp/Standard-File-Names.html. I call this function
> within a Cygwin environment, and this function could not return me a MS-DOS/Windows format path. I think it
> treats Cygwin environment as a normal *nix environment.
> 
> In Cygwin environment, the Emacs has a function called `cygwin-convert-file-name-to-windows` which
> converts a expanded path to a Windows path, e.g.:
> 
> /cygdrive/c/Windows => c:\Windows
> 
> According to the description of the `convert-standard-filename`, it is expected to be used only in places where
> the callee wants to convert a *nix path to the underline OS path. I think it is appropriate we invoke the
> `cygwin-convert-file-name-to-windows` function inside the `convert-standard-filename` function if it is called
> within a Cygwin environment.

Yes, Cygwin is a Posix environment, and convert-standard-filename is
documented to be a no-op in such an environment.

For the conversion you need, you can call
cygwin-convert-file-name-to-windows directly.

Re: Request to support Cygwin in convert-standard-filename function

[Stefan Monnier]

> According to the description of the `convert-standard-filename`, it is
> expected to be used only in places where the callee wants to convert a *nix
> path to the underline OS path.

The output of convert-standard-filename is meant to be used *inside*
Emacs, not outside of it.

The purpose of convert-standard-filename is to convert a *standard* file
name such as ~/.emacs for those cases where this standard file name
happens not to work on the system (e.g. because file names can't start
with a ".").


        Stefan