Re: [PATCH] tests: copy.c destination permissions lost when backup specified

[Jim Meyering]

Sami Kerola wrote:
> Either this is bug or an unintuitive feature.
>
> address@hidden ~/foo touch src dest
> address@hidden ~/foo chmod g-rwx src
> address@hidden ~/foo chmod g+rwx dest
> address@hidden ~/foo ls -l
> total 0
> -rw-rwxr-- 1 sake sake 0 2009-03-30 13:16 dest
> -rw----r-- 1 sake sake 0 2009-03-30 13:16 src
> address@hidden ~/foo cp --force --backup=t src dest
> address@hidden ~/foo ls -l
> total 0
> -rw----r-- 1 sake sake 0 2009-03-30 13:16 dest
> -rw-rwxr-- 1 sake sake 0 2009-03-30 13:16 dest.~1~
> -rw----r-- 1 sake sake 0 2009-03-30 13:16 src
>
> In case this is bug the patch is good. In case of feature it should be
> modified to make sure that permissions are different.

It's a feature.
With --backup, an existing destination is first moved aside (renamed),
and thus the backup retains all attributes.  That's the idea of making a
backup, after all: preserve as much initial state as possible.