[Acl-Devel] Why does setting a default ACL on a file give EACCES?

[Andreas Gruenbacher]

On Thursday 20 April 2006 21:48, Matt McCutchen wrote:
> On Thu, 2006-04-20 at 19:54 +0200, Andreas Gruenbacher wrote:
> > Default ACLs serve to define the ACL that objects created inside a
> > directory will be assigned. The concept of default ACL makes no sense for
> > a file; you cannot create a file in a file.
>
> I realize that trying to set a default ACL on a file should be an error.
> I am saying that an error message more appropriate than "Permission
> denied" should be used.  "Invalid argument" would do.  "Not a directory"
> is another possibility.

Ah, I got you wrong, sorry.

The POSIX.1e draft 17 "standard" defines that acl_set_file returns EACCES in 
that case, so that's why. I agree that something like ENOTDIR would be more 
appropriate, but I think we shouldn't implement this differently from the 
draft.

Thanks,
Andreas