Re: [PATCH] Add FAQ 4.46. How do I fix find_fast_cwd warnings?
On Nov 13 00:04, Brian Inglis wrote: > On 2017-11-12 16:02, Ken Brown wrote: > > On 11/12/2017 4:27 PM, Brian Inglis wrote: > >> + Some ancient Cygwin releases asked users to report problems > >> that were > >> + difficult to diagnose to the mailing list with the message: > >> + > >> + find_fast_cwd: WARNING: Couldn't compute FAST_CWD pointer. > >> Please > >> report > >> + this problem to the public mailing listcyg...@cygwin.com > >> + > >> + These problems were fixed long ago in updated Cygwin > >> releases. > > > > The wording of the warning message was changed 3 years ago, in commit > > 0793492. > > I'm not sure that qualifies as ancient. I also don't think it's accurate to > > refer to the problem as "difficult to diagnose" or to say that the problems > > "were fixed long ago". > > The original message was added in 2011 - 1.7.10 maybe earlier - NT4 support > was > dropped around then - pretty ancient in Cygwin terms of how many Windows > releases have had support dropped since then! > > > The issue (Corinna will correct me if I'm wrong) is simply that new > > releases of > > Windows sometimes require changes in how Cygwin finds the fast_cwd pointer. > > So > > users of old versions of Cygwin on new versions of Windows might have > > problems, > > and this can certainly happen again in the future. But the FAQ doesn't > > need to > > go into that. Why not just say what the warning currently says (see > > path.cc:find_fast_cwd()): > > > > "This typically occurs if you're using an older Cygwin version on a newer > > Windows. Please update to the latest available Cygwin version from > > https://cygwin.com/. If the problem persists, please see > > https://cygwin.com/problems.html."; > > > > You can also add your sentence about contacting the vendor who provided the > > old > > Cygwin release. > > We are trying in the FAQ entry to persuade an annoyed user that it may be in > their best interest to do some remediation, rather than just complain in an > email to an org they think is a company (cygwin.com) they have never heard of, > who they expect from their application message to take care of their problem > with no other effort on their part, and who they can blame if nothing happens. > > Assuming they find the FAQ entry, emphatic language may persuade them to do > something more than the message says they should do. Nevertheless, Ken has a point. s/ancient/older and the text should really explain the "older Cygwin on newer Windows" problem without necessarily going into too much detail. "The problem has been fixed" just doesn't fit the facts. Corinna -- Corinna Vinschen Please, send mails regarding Cygwin to Cygwin Maintainer cygwin AT cygwin DOT com Red Hat signature.asc Description: PGP signature
Re: [PATCH] Add FAQ How do I fix find_fast_cwd warnings?
On 2017-11-13 05:05, Corinna Vinschen wrote: > On Nov 13 00:04, Brian Inglis wrote: >> On 2017-11-12 16:02, Ken Brown wrote: >>> On 11/12/2017 4:27 PM, Brian Inglis wrote: + Some ancient Cygwin releases asked users to report problems that were + difficult to diagnose to the mailing list with the message: + + find_fast_cwd: WARNING: Couldn't compute FAST_CWD pointer. Please report + this problem to the public mailing listcyg...@cygwin.com + + These problems were fixed long ago in updated Cygwin releases. >>> >>> The wording of the warning message was changed 3 years ago, in commit >>> 0793492. >>> I'm not sure that qualifies as ancient. I also don't think it's accurate to >>> refer to the problem as "difficult to diagnose" or to say that the problems >>> "were fixed long ago". >> >> The original message was added in 2011 - 1.7.10 maybe earlier - NT4 support >> was >> dropped around then - pretty ancient in Cygwin terms of how many Windows >> releases have had support dropped since then! >> >>> The issue (Corinna will correct me if I'm wrong) is simply that new >>> releases of >>> Windows sometimes require changes in how Cygwin finds the fast_cwd pointer. >>> So >>> users of old versions of Cygwin on new versions of Windows might have >>> problems, >>> and this can certainly happen again in the future. But the FAQ doesn't >>> need to >>> go into that. Why not just say what the warning currently says (see >>> path.cc:find_fast_cwd()): >>> >>> "This typically occurs if you're using an older Cygwin version on a newer >>> Windows. Please update to the latest available Cygwin version from >>> https://cygwin.com/. If the problem persists, please see >>> https://cygwin.com/problems.html."; >>> >>> You can also add your sentence about contacting the vendor who provided the >>> old >>> Cygwin release. >> >> We are trying in the FAQ entry to persuade an annoyed user that it may be in >> their best interest to do some remediation, rather than just complain in an >> email to an org they think is a company (cygwin.com) they have never heard >> of, >> who they expect from their application message to take care of their problem >> with no other effort on their part, and who they can blame if nothing >> happens. >> >> Assuming they find the FAQ entry, emphatic language may persuade them to do >> something more than the message says they should do. > > Nevertheless, Ken has a point. > > s/ancient/older and the text should really explain the "older Cygwin on > newer Windows" problem without necessarily going into too much detail. > "The problem has been fixed" just doesn't fit the facts. I guess I may have been a little enthusiastic to get something out there we could refer to in future - and reduce the annoyance level for both posters and subscribers - attaching a hopefully more accurate diff for comment, also addressing some of the other points I suggested. -- Take care. Thanks, Brian Inglis, Calgary, Alberta, Canada diff --git a/winsup/doc/faq-using.xml b/winsup/doc/faq-using.xml index b6b152e4e..4ac26cc84 100644 --- a/winsup/doc/faq-using.xml +++ b/winsup/doc/faq-using.xml @@ -1419,4 +1419,57 @@ such as virtual memory paging and file caching. difficult to make fork() work reliably. + + + How do I fix find_fast_cwd warnings? + +Older Cygwin releases asked users to report problems to the mailing + list with the message: + +find_fast_cwd: WARNING: Couldn't compute FAST_CWD pointer. Please report + this problem to the public mailing list cyg...@cygwin.com + +Recent Cygwin releases changed this to the message: + +This typically occurs if you're using an older Cygwin version on a newer Windows. + Please update to the latest available Cygwin version from https://cygwin.com/. + If the problem persists, please see https://cygwin.com/problems.html."; + +This happens when the Cygwin release you installed can not find out + how to get your current directory from the Windows release you are + using. +Unfortunately some projects and products still distribute older + Cygwin releases, which do not support newer Windows releases, rather + than having their product install the current Cygwin release over the + Internet. + They also provide no information about keeping Cygwin up to date with + upgrades and fixes. +The fix is simply downloading and running Cygwin Setup, using the + instructions at: + https://cygwin.com/cygwin-ug-net/setup-net.html";> + Setting Up Cygwin - Internet Setup. +When running Setup, you should not change most of the values + presented, just select the Next button in most cases, + as you already have a Cygwin release installed and only want to upgrade + your current installation. You should make your own selection if the + internet connection to your system require
Re: [PATCH] Add FAQ How do I fix find_fast_cwd warnings?
On 2017-11-13 10:12, Brian Inglis wrote: > On 2017-11-13 05:05, Corinna Vinschen wrote: >> On Nov 13 00:04, Brian Inglis wrote: >>> On 2017-11-12 16:02, Ken Brown wrote: On 11/12/2017 4:27 PM, Brian Inglis wrote: > + Some ancient Cygwin releases asked users to report problems > that were > + difficult to diagnose to the mailing list with the message: > + > + find_fast_cwd: WARNING: Couldn't compute FAST_CWD pointer. > Please > report > + this problem to the public mailing listcyg...@cygwin.com > + > + These problems were fixed long ago in updated Cygwin > releases. The wording of the warning message was changed 3 years ago, in commit 0793492. I'm not sure that qualifies as ancient. I also don't think it's accurate to refer to the problem as "difficult to diagnose" or to say that the problems "were fixed long ago". >>> >>> The original message was added in 2011 - 1.7.10 maybe earlier - NT4 support >>> was >>> dropped around then - pretty ancient in Cygwin terms of how many Windows >>> releases have had support dropped since then! >>> The issue (Corinna will correct me if I'm wrong) is simply that new releases of Windows sometimes require changes in how Cygwin finds the fast_cwd pointer. So users of old versions of Cygwin on new versions of Windows might have problems, and this can certainly happen again in the future. But the FAQ doesn't need to go into that. Why not just say what the warning currently says (see path.cc:find_fast_cwd()): "This typically occurs if you're using an older Cygwin version on a newer Windows. Please update to the latest available Cygwin version from https://cygwin.com/. If the problem persists, please see https://cygwin.com/problems.html."; You can also add your sentence about contacting the vendor who provided the old Cygwin release. >>> >>> We are trying in the FAQ entry to persuade an annoyed user that it may be in >>> their best interest to do some remediation, rather than just complain in an >>> email to an org they think is a company (cygwin.com) they have never heard >>> of, >>> who they expect from their application message to take care of their problem >>> with no other effort on their part, and who they can blame if nothing >>> happens. >>> >>> Assuming they find the FAQ entry, emphatic language may persuade them to do >>> something more than the message says they should do. >> >> Nevertheless, Ken has a point. >> >> s/ancient/older and the text should really explain the "older Cygwin on >> newer Windows" problem without necessarily going into too much detail. >> "The problem has been fixed" just doesn't fit the facts. > > I guess I may have been a little enthusiastic to get something out there we > could refer to in future - and reduce the annoyance level for both posters and > subscribers - attaching a hopefully more accurate diff for comment, also > addressing some of the other points I suggested. Made all URIs in messages links, fixed tags, links, improved flow and wording. -- Take care. Thanks, Brian Inglis, Calgary, Alberta, Canada diff --git a/winsup/doc/faq-using.xml b/winsup/doc/faq-using.xml index b6b152e4e..498315896 100644 --- a/winsup/doc/faq-using.xml +++ b/winsup/doc/faq-using.xml @@ -1419,4 +1419,65 @@ such as virtual memory paging and file caching. difficult to make fork() work reliably. + + + How do I fix find_fast_cwd warnings? + +Older Cygwin releases asked users to report problems to the mailing + list with the message: + +find_fast_cwd: WARNING: Couldn't compute FAST_CWD pointer. Please report + this problem to the public mailing list + mailto:cyg...@cygwin.com";> + cyg...@cygwin.com + +Recent Cygwin releases changed this to the message: + +This typically occurs if you're using an older Cygwin version on a newer Windows. + Please update to the latest available Cygwin version from + https://cygwin.com/";> + https://cygwin.com/. + If the problem persists, please see + https://cygwin.com/problems.html";> + https://cygwin.com/problems.html. + +This happens when the Cygwin release you installed can not find out + how to get your current directory from the Windows release you are + using. +Unfortunately some projects and products still distribute older + Cygwin releases which do not support newer Windows releases, instead of + installing the current release from the Cygwin project. + They also may not provide any obvious way to keep the Cygwin packages + their application uses up to date with fixes for security issues and + upgrades. +The fix is simply downloading and running Cygwin Setup, following the + instructions in the Internet Setup section of + https://cygwin.com/cygw
