Feature #6635

Document that Dotfiles persistence feature doesn't work with empty directories

Added by sajolida 2014-02-02 00:53:53 . Updated 2014-09-22 10:39:49 .

Status:
Resolved
Priority:
Normal
Assignee:
Category:
Persistence
Target version:
Start date:
2014-02-02
Due date:
% Done:

100%

Feature Branch:
doc/dotfiles
Type of work:
End-user documentation
Blueprint:

Starter:
0
Affected tool:
Deliverable for:

Description

This bug was reported for Tails 0.22.1~rc1 but is also present on Tails 0.22.

See live-persist log in attachment for more details.


Files

live-persist (28787 B) sajolida, 2014-02-02 00:54:43

Subtasks


History

#1 Updated by sajolida 2014-02-02 00:54:43

#2 Updated by intrigeri 2014-02-08 06:26:10

Looks like live-boot’s “link” option needs a fix, then.

Side note: that I’ve been taught recently that bind-mounts actually work for regular files, so perhaps the whole “link” option could use bind mounts instead of links at some point.

#3 Updated by intrigeri 2014-02-08 06:30:18

Actually, reading the live-boot code, the way it’s supposed to work for directories is:

  1. If the source persistent directory in dotfiles is empty, then skip it.
  2. Create the destination directory (in $HOME, most often).
  3. Create symlinks in the just-created directory to the files in the persistent source directory.

Reading the attached log, it seems that you tried this with an empty directory, that is then intentionally skipped, so I’ll retitle this ticket accordingly.

#4 Updated by intrigeri 2014-02-08 06:37:02

  • Subject changed from Dotfiles persistence feature doesn't work with directories to Dotfiles persistence feature doesn't work with empty directories

#5 Updated by intrigeri 2014-02-08 06:43:57

So, to end with, I see several possible solutions:

  1. Change live-boot to cope better with this use case (that is, I guess, creating an empty directory in dotfiles, rebooting, then filling it with files once the bind mount appears). This means changing drastically how the “link” option works, and it may have downsides.
  2. Clarify, in the documentation, how the dotfiles preset works.

Unless anonym feels like tackling the first solution once he’s done with his various urgent commitments, I’m strongly in favor of the second one. sajolida, if you agree, please retitle and set type of work accordingly. Else, please raise it on tails-dev.

#6 Updated by sajolida 2014-02-10 08:45:10

  • Tracker changed from Bug to Feature
  • Subject changed from Dotfiles persistence feature doesn't work with empty directories to Document that Dotfiles persistence feature doesn't work with empty directories
  • Assignee set to sajolida
  • Type of work changed from Code to Documentation

Let’s do the later.

#7 Updated by sajolida 2014-09-21 10:27:35

  • Assignee deleted (sajolida)
  • Target version set to Tails_1.2
  • QA Check set to Ready for QA

#8 Updated by intrigeri 2014-09-22 10:36:35

  • Status changed from Confirmed to In Progress
  • % Done changed from 0 to 50
  • Feature Branch set to doc/dotfiles

#9 Updated by intrigeri 2014-09-22 10:39:49

  • Status changed from In Progress to Resolved
  • % Done changed from 50 to 100
  • QA Check deleted (Ready for QA)