WG15 Defect Report Ref: 9945-2-124
Topic: mkfifo -m mode


This is an approved interpretation of 9945-2:1993.

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Last update: 1997-05-20


								9945-2-124

 _____________________________________________________________________________

	Topic:                  mkfifo -m mode
	Relevant Sections:      4.42


Defect Report:
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From: mark@mks.com (Mark Funkenhauser)
Date: Thu, 18 May 1995 13:46:16 -0400 (EDT)

 

See Also:	        9945-2-67
 

Dear Standards Board,

    I would like to an request official, binding interpretation
    from WG15 concerning the following point in ISO/IEC
    9945-2:1993 (POSIX.2).

    The interp. request 9945-2-67 (mkdir, Section 4.41) identified wording
    in the standard which was unclear.
    This (almost) identical wording in mkdir also occurs in the description
    for mkfifo.

    Should mkfifo -m mode utilize the current umask in setting permissions?
    Or should the same resolution from interp #67 also apply to mkfifo?

    The 9945-2:1993 rationale for mkfifo says that the -m option was added
    to control the file mode, for consistency with the similar functionality
    provided in the mkdir utility.  Hence, I think that the -m option to
    mkfifo should behave similar to the -m option for mkdir.
     
    Thank you for your attention to this matter.

    Mark Funkenhauser


Interpretation response
------------------------

The standard is unclear on this issue, and no conformance distinction can
be made between alternative implementations based on this.  This is being
referred to the sponsor.


Rationale
-------------
None.

Forwarded to Interpretations group: May 28 1995
Proposed resolution forwarded: Aug 11 1995
Finalized: Sept 12 1995