Subject: Re: [PATCH 2/3] Fix the ':A' word modifier on paths with '..' components.
From: Bart Schaefer <[email-masked]>
To: zsh workers <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 12 Jun 2016 09:49:16 -0700
List-Id: Zsh Workers List <zsh-workers.zsh.org>

On Jun 12,  2:28pm, Daniel Shahaf wrote:
}
} So, how about:
} 
} - :a remains as it is today
} - :A when CHASE_DOTS set: same as :A today (resolves '..' first and
}   symlinks second)
} - :A when CHASE_DOTS unset: as in the patch: equivalent to realpath(3)
}   except that non-existing trailing path components are permitted
} 
} Would that address everyone's concerns?

I believe it would resolve most of mine.  :A is a relatively new feature
so it would be understandable for it to evolve a bit.  However, it is in
use in a few places already (e.g., expand-absolute-path, VCS_INFO_quilt,
zsh-mime-handler).  I don't think any of those uses would be compromised
by this change, but if anyone wants to do a more thorough search for use
cases, don't be shy.

} Note this doesn't use CHASE_LINKS at all, neither in :A nor in :a.

Makes sense; :a plus CHASE_LINKS would be :A.