Re: [PATCH] manual: Document the O_TMPFILE flag

[Phil Blundell <pb at pbcl dot net>]

On Fri, 2017-11-03 at 23:51 +0100, Florian Weimer wrote:
> +@code{O_WRONLY} or @code{O_RDWR}, and the @var{mode} argument is
> > > +required.  The file can later be given a name using
> > > @code{linkat}.  To
> > > +prevent that, specify the @code{O_EXCL} flag at open time.
> > 
> > To prevent what?  Can you describe an example scenario where O_EXCL
> > would be used?
> 
> Giving a name using linkat.  Is this really unclear?

There's certainly something a bit jarring about that language.  I think
this might just be because the reference manual is a relatively formal
document and the use of the vague "that" as the object seems a bit
wrong in that context.

But anyway, you could avoid this problem by rephrasing it into a single
sentence:

"Unless @code{O_EXCL} was specified at open time, the file can later be
given a name using @code{linkat}."

Or something.  But I also agree with the comment that it'd be useful to
have a bit of explanation as to when this is a useful thing to do.

p.