"James Youngman" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: > I'm very reluctant to try opening every file in the > filesystem just in case it turns out to be a directory we need to > descend into.
Your reluctance is understandable, since it is incorrect to always open every directory entry. The corresponding file might be a special file, and opening devices can have side effects (e.g., opening and closing a tape device might rewind it). Similarly for other kinds of files (e.g., fifos). If the app knows the file cannot be a special file or a fifo or etc. then it should be OK, but 'find' doesn't know this in general. _______________________________________________ Bug-findutils mailing list Bug-findutils@gnu.org http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/bug-findutils