From bug-request at octave dot org Thu Apr  6 09:26:28 2006
Subject: Re: addpath, rmpath, savepath
From: "Robert S. Weigel" <rweigel at gmu dot edu>
To: bug at octave dot org
Date: Thu, 06 Apr 2006 09:25:34 -0500


It looks like we can satisfy all of the opinions voiced with a 

traditional_path_mode

variable.  

If this new variable is acceptable, the plan is

traditional_path_mode:
'.' always on top and stripped from anywhere in LOADPATH and DEFAULT_LOADPATH 
on first call of addpath/rmpath.
Calls to addpath/rmpath with '/path//' give warning that syntax is not allowed 
with traditional_path_mode=1; '/path' is added to the path.

warn_matlab_incompatible:
Warning when '.' is removed and when '//' is passed.  Existing '//'s in path 
do not generate warning.

all modes:
Treat path with single trailing slash as identical to path with no trailing 
slash.  No other changes to current behavior.

I will submit a protototype of the above-defined addpath and rmpath on the 
weekend.

>From my perspective, when dealing with system and directory functions it is 
worth the effort for cross-interpreter compatability.  The reason is that 
this makes cross-platform compatability much less of a headache.  Moreover, 
because making Octave relocatable involves tinkering with DEFAULT_LOADPATH, I 
think it is worth the effort to have as much flexibility as possible. Having 
developed many hacks to deal with the above (cross-platform, 
cross-interpreter, relocation) and work-arounds for cygwin-specific issues 
such as symlinks and network mounts, I think it is worth my effort now to 
allow others (and myself!) to have an easier time with such tasks in the 
future.  

(Having said all of this, in the long run perhaps the best place for dealing 
with platform/interpreter/interpreter versions/etc is in a compatability pack 
that works under both Matlab and Octave and defines a new addpath, rmpath, 
load, and save.)
________________________________________________________________

Side question:

Should warn_matlab_incompatible only return warning if the called .m file
(and its callees) is not in the Octave directory tree?  For example, try

warn_matlab_incompatible=1
rmpath('./')

on Octave-2.9.5.  Seems like only user-created functions should have a 
warning.

Bob




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