bin/92149: [patch] ln -f -s does not remove existing directory

[Eugene Grosbein]

The following reply was made to PR bin/92149; it has been noted by GNATS.

From: Eugene Grosbein <eugen at grosbein.pp.ru>
To: Gleb Smirnoff <glebius at FreeBSD.org>
Cc: FreeBSD-gnats-submit at FreeBSD.org
Subject: Re: bin/92149: [patch] ln -f -s does not remove existing directory
Date: Mon, 23 Jan 2006 18:32:45 +0700

 On Mon, Jan 23, 2006 at 11:53:36AM +0300, Gleb Smirnoff wrote:
 
 > E> 	"ln -f -s" may be used to create a symlink to the file and
 > E> 	the target file will be unlinked if it exists.
 > E> 
 > E> 	However, ln will fail with 'Operation not permitted' message
 > E> 	when target is a directory because unlink(2) does not remove
 > E> 	empty directories.
 > 
 > I think that the current behavior is standard, while suggested behavior
 > is going to violate SUSv3. At least I understand the standard this way:
 > 
 >   If the destination path exists:
 > 
 >    1.	If the -f option is not specified, ln shall write a diagnostic message
 > 	to standard error, do nothing more with the current source_file, and go
 > 	on to any remaining source_files.
 >    2.	Actions shall be performed equivalent to the unlink() function defined in
 > 	the System Interfaces volume of IEEE Std 1003.1-2001, called using
 > 	destination as the path argument. If this fails for any reason, ln shall
 > 	write a diagnostic message to standard error, do nothing more with the
 > 	current source_file, and go on to any remaining source_files.
 > 
 >  http://www.opengroup.org/onlinepubs/000095399/utilities/ln.html
 
 Then I'd like to introduce new command line option enabling desired
 behavour. Should I correct the patch?
 
 Eugene Grosbein