Microsoft KB Archive/246316

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Information About Interix and Filenames

Article ID: 246316

Article Last Modified on 11/1/2006



APPLIES TO

  • Microsoft Interix 2.2 Standard Edition
  • Microsoft Interix 2.2 Standard Edition
  • Microsoft Interix 2.2 Standard Edition
  • Microsoft Interix 2.2 Standard Edition



This article was previously published under Q246316

SUMMARY

Currently, the Interix system does not have a single-rooted file system. In Microsoft Windows NT, multiple volumes are available by using drive letters. To use Interix to obtain access to these volumes, you must use the syntax "//L" (where L must be an uppercase letter).

This requirement directly affects your code porting process. Configure scripts, makefiles, and objects such as file selection boxes in X programs do not make allowances for the "special" volume prefix.

There are two scenarios where this is an issue:

  • Configure scripts assume the absolute locations of certain utilities -> /bin/rm or /bin/sh. On an Interix system, sh is located in $Interix_ROOT/bin ($OPENNT_ROOT deprecated). In shell scripts of pathnames passed to functions /bin/sh will not work.
  • Even if absolute locations (such as //C/Interix/bin) are defined for the current installation, these will not be correct on systems where Interix is installed on a different volume.


MORE INFORMATION

For additional information, see the "Porting Applications in C" Tech Note at the following Interix Web site:


Additional query words: depricated

Keywords: kbinfo kbenv KB246316