Make a unique filesystem path, without creating the file

[Ethan Furman]

On 02/22/2016 02:25 PM, Cameron Simpson wrote:
> On 22Feb2016 10:11, Ethan Furman <ethan at stoneleaf.us> wrote:
>> 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.
>
> I think Ben wants to avoid filesystem modification (let us ignore atime
> here). So one can read the filesystem to see what is current, but he
> does not want to actually make any new filesystem entry.

Hmm -- well, he says "the goal entails having no filesystem activity for 
this", and seeing what already exists definitely requires file system 
activity . . .

--
~Ethan~