[ATTENTION], "problem" with FolderItem.Exists

[jda]

>>Kevin, I have no idea how one can abuse a folderItem. I certainly 
>>deny I have ever done it. And rumors to the contrary are not 
>>sufficient to convict. At least not again.
>
>I am not trying to convict anyone, just trying to point out what I 
>would consider workflow flaw.

That was joke.

>
>>
>>There is a bug in RB that causes problems in the following scenario:
>>
>>1. Use GetSaveFolderItem to make a folderItem (f) -- it must 
>>replace an existing file
>
>FolderItems don't replace anything. It might point to an existing 
>file, but it doesn't actually do anything until you call a method on 
>the file. So here you have a folderitem that points to an existing 
>file.
>
>>2. db.Create(f...)
>
>Now you ask Valentina to create a database at a location that is 
>occupied by an existing file. To my mind this is a silent error. 
>What happens in an app where a user makes a mistake, or it's a 
>simple programming error, and Valentina silently replaces a file I 
>wanted?
>
>This is why I think it's an abuse. Valentina should not replace an 
>existing file IMO. It should expect the programmer to provide a 
>location where a file doesn't exist so that it can create a new one 
>there without stomping on the other file.
>
>Of course this is just my opinion, but we can't properly deal with 
>the scenario if we don't know about it and for Valentina to silently 
>replace the file seems counter to what the create statement's 
>original intention was. Create a new file, not delete an existing 
>one.
>
>I appreciate the clarification, and at least now I know to watch out for it.
>

Kevin, do you use RB? I ask because if you do you should know that 
GetSaveFolderItem (see above) is a standard method for obtaining a 
folderItem prior to saving a file to disk:

f = GetSaveFolderItem("", "database1")

It puts up a standard "Save As" dialog box.

If you click Save and the file already exists, you are asked if you 
want to replace it with a new file. You can cancel or proceed. If you 
proceed, a folderItem is created. Valentina hasn't yet entered the 
picture.

You pass this folderItem to Valentina in db.create(f...). Valentina 
overwrites the existing file. This triggers the bug.

Jon