Make a unique filesystem path, without creating the file

[Ben Finney]

Ethan Furman <ethan at stoneleaf.us> writes:

> On 02/14/2016 04:08 PM, Ben Finney wrote:
>
> > I am unconcerned with whether there is a real filesystem entry of that
> > name; the goal entails having no filesystem activity for this. I want a
> > valid unique filesystem path, without touching the filesystem.
>
> This is impossible.  If you don't touch the file system you have no
> way to know if the path is unique.

That was unclear. Later in the same thread, I clarified that by “unique”
I mean nothing about entries already on the filesystem. Instead it means
“unpredictably different each time the function is called”.

-- 
 \      “It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his |
  `\   salary depends upon his not understanding it.” —Upton Sinclair, |
_o__)                                                             1935 |
Ben Finney