Re: project.el project-find-files and symlinks

[Juris]

Hi!

On 24.05.21 04:01, Dmitry Gutov wrote:
> Hi!
>
> On 21.05.2021 14:57, Juris Bune wrote:
> > Hello!
> >
> > I've been using emacs for few months now and slowly building up my 
> > skill and knowledge of ecosystem. It has been great so far.
> >
> > Recently I started using project.el (v0.6) and found one annoying 
> > thing - project-find-files does not include file symlinks. I 
> > understand that it is due to fact that under the hood it uses GNU find 
> > and current implementation of project--files-in-directory has a 
> > somewhat hard-coded values for find flags.
>
> > To solve my case I would add "-L" option appropriately to have find 
> > utility list also symlinks. Unfortunately this is not configurable 
> > without (as I understand) changing package.el. Are there any other 
> > options?
>
> You can try out a patch like
>
> diff --git a/lisp/progmodes/project.el b/lisp/progmodes/project.el
> index eab60756c8..616c6f8d32 100644
> --- a/lisp/progmodes/project.el
> +++ b/lisp/progmodes/project.el
> @@ -297,7 +297,7 @@ project--files-in-directory
>            ;; expanded and not left for the shell command
>            ;; to interpret.
>            (localdir (file-name-unquote (file-local-name 
> (expand-file-name dir))))
> -         (command (format "%s -H %s %s -type f %s -print0"
> +         (command (format "%s -H -L %s %s -type f %s -print0"
>                             find-program
>                             (shell-quote-argument
>                              (directory-file-name localdir)) ; Bug#48471
>
> and see if you like the effect. I'm not sure how to make it better 
> configurable, though. The current literal that's used looks like
>
>    "%s -H -L %s %s -type f %s -print0"
>
> ...and that's not something a random user will know how to change 
> safely. It's also very find-specific.

Thanks for the tip Dmitry, I did try this and it does solve my 
complaint. The downside being that I have to manage a patches project.el 
and track upstream changes manually. Surely some easy configuration 
would be a welcome change but, I also understand your stance.

> I suppose you'd also want the project-vc backend (e.g. in Git repos) to 
> follow symlinks as well?

Hmmm, that would be yes.

> I also wonder whether there have been any discussions in the past about 
> adding -L to grep-find-template.
>
> > Also, would it be somehow possible to make project.el use fd 
> > <https://github.com/sharkdp/fd> instead of find?
>
> People have asked about this before. Please read:
>
> https://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi/bugreport.cgi?bug=44210#26
>
> ...and email to the bug address if you'd like to contribute to that 
> discussion.

Thanks again!
Juris