realpath, canonicalize_file_name and GLib

[kilobug freesurf fr (Gaël Le Mignot)]

Hello, 

	The libgnomeui is using the POSIX realpath() function. This
function has a major flaw: it is totally unable to handle systems with
unlimited maximal path size, like GNU/Hurd. As this has been
recognized as a major flaw in the design of realpath by the POSIX guys
itself, it has been corrected in the latest drafts. Though, as it is
new, we cannot rely on that if Gnome wants portability.

        For this purpose, there is a GNU extension in the C library
(canonicalize_file_name) that allocates dynamically a buffer big enough
to handle the result. 

        It is impossible to port Gnome to any system with unlimited path
size without using this function, so I think that it should be added to
the GLib, like it was done for g_strdup_printf and many other GNU extension
to the C library. Of course, I guess the best way to do it is to grab the code
from the GNU C library.

What do you all think of that ?

-- 
Gael Le Mignot "Kilobug" - kilobug@freesurf.fr - http://kilobug.free.fr
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