Have `keep alive` option when get the file lock

[scaret]

If A get the file lock for quite a long time, A should always touch the file to make sure the lock is not stale

[isaacs]

+1 patch welcome. Should use the touch module.

[jonathon-love]

hi,
i was going to write this patch, but i notice that at lines 10-12 of lockfile.js has platform specific code:

var os = require('os')
exports.filetime = 'ctime'
if (os.platform() == "win32") {
  exports.filetime = 'mtime'
}

it would appear that under windows, you check modification time, whereas everywhere else, you use creation time. why doesn't it use modification time everywhere? this will make _touch_ing the file easier.

with thanks

[isaacs]

@jonathon-love

On windows, ctime is "created time".

On posix systems, ctime is "changed time". That is, the last time any file attribute (including atime) was changed. Since atime changes ctime, any modification is an access, it's more like Windows' modified-time or mtime.

[jonathon-love]

chuckles ... righto.

[jonathon-love]

what should we call this function?

renew()
renewLock()
touch()

i don't think touch() is good, because it requires you to be familiar with the touch command.

[evan-king]

I would suggest refresh(). renew() works too. Adding Lock on the end would be redundant anywhere the library reference variable is appropriately named.

[ORESoftware]

I'm touching this thread to make sure it's not stale

[jonathon-love]

i think it might be stale :P