forkables: About hardlink creation and NTFS transaction in rename()

[Michael Haubenwallner]

On 11/21/2016 04:19 PM, Michael Haubenwallner wrote:
> Hi Corinna,
> 
> now working with the cygfork patches (hardlinks to retain forkability
> beyond exe/dll update): when creating the forkable hardlink using the
> earlier opened file handle I may get STATUS_TRANSACTION_NOT_ACTIVE.
> 
> It turns out that when loaded 'some.dll' was readonly, then
> rename("new/some.dll", "some.dll") uses an NTFS-transaction to drop
> the readonly attribute, breaking the subsequent hardlink creation
> of "/var/run/cygfork/.../soname.dll" via the original file handle.

I've been wrong here about the readonly flag:
The transaction is started in rename() where the initial
NtSetInformationFile (Rename) returns STATUS_ACCESS_DENIED,
simply because the target "some.dll" is in use.

Not starting that transaction keeps the previously opened file handle
intact to subsequently create a hardlink.  But the transaction makes
sense - so what can I do for the original file handle?

> Now I can see these options:
> * As using NTFS transactions seems not to be recommended any more,
>   might we drop the NTFS transaction from rename() and _unlink_nt ()?
> * Or do I need to create an NTFS-transaction in dll_list::alloc()
>   when opening the original dll file handle?
> 
> Thoughts?

Thanks!
/haubi/