[Python-Dev] Warn about mktemp once again?

[Giovanni Bajo]

On 4/29/2008 2:18 PM, Nick Coghlan wrote:

>>>> Same here. In fact, is there a good reason to have mkstemp() return the
>>>  > fd (except backward compatibility)?
>>>
>>>  Except for backwards compatibility: is there a good reason to keep
>>>  os.mkstemp at all?
>>
>> Greg Ewing's use-case is one I've also had at times - ie. as a
>> convenience function for creating a "somewhat temporary" file that is
>> randomly named, but persists beyond the closing of the file.  If the
>> function doesn't stay in os it doesn't make any difference to me
>> though :-)
> 
> As of 2.6, Greg's use case is addressed by the new 'delete' parameter on 
> tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile.

Then I personally don't have any objection to the removal of os.mkstemp.

Since we're at it, a common pattern I use is to create temporary file to 
atomically replace files: I create a named temporary file in the same 
directory of the file I want to replace; write data into it; close it; 
and move it (POSIX "move": rename with silent overwrite) to the 
destination file. AFAIK, this is allows an atomic file replacemente on 
most filesystems.

I believe this is a common useful pattern that could be handled in 
module tmpfile (especially since the final "rename" step requires a 
little care to be truly multiplatform).
-- 
Giovanni Bajo
Develer S.r.l.
http://www.develer.com