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feat(fs): O_NOATIME discipline for pure-read theorems (#94 Gap 9) (#120)
Gap 9 from the issue-#94 remaining-practice list: vanilla read(2) on Linux mutates the inode access-time (st_atime), which means any "pure read" in the Rust CLI is observably mutating from the filesystem's point of view -- and that breaks every preservation theorem that quantifies over pure reads. Resolution ---------- New module `impl/rust-cli/src/fs_pure.rs` exposes three helpers: * `open_pure(path) -> io::Result<File>` * `read_to_end(path) -> io::Result<Vec<u8>>` * `read_to_string(path) -> io::Result<String>` On Linux they set `libc::O_NOATIME` via `OpenOptionsExt::custom_flags`. The kernel only honours `O_NOATIME` when the caller owns the file or holds `CAP_FOWNER`; otherwise it returns `EPERM`. The helpers catch `EPERM` and retry with vanilla `File::open` so the program keeps working -- the purity claim is just downgraded for that one call. On non-Linux targets the helpers fall through to `File::open` (the OS does not provide `O_NOATIME`; mount-level `noatime`/`relatime` is the equivalent knob). Call sites converted -------------------- Eight pure-read sites now route through `fs_pure`: 1. `main.rs` -- script load (`vsh script.sh`) 2. `executable.rs` -- `source <file>` 3. `audit_log.rs` -- `AuditLog::read_all` 4. `state.rs` -- `ShellState::load` 5. `redirection.rs:387` -- `<` input redirection (builtins) 6. `external.rs:380` -- `<` input redirection (external) 7. `redirection.rs:331` -- truncate-redirection backup read 8. `commands.rs:287` -- `rm` undo-backup read Intentionally NOT converted --------------------------- * `/dev/urandom` reads in `commands/secure_deletion.rs` (character special device; atime not tracked; `O_NOATIME` may be rejected by the driver). * `/sys/block/<dev>/queue/rotational` in `secure_erase.rs` (sysfs; atime not tracked). * `read_dir` callers (directory iteration; not a pure file read). * Tests (`tests/*.rs`) that read back fixture content -- production code is the soundness surface. Testing ------- Six new unit tests in `fs_pure::tests` cover: * `read_to_end` round-trip with arbitrary bytes (including `0x00`, `0xff`, embedded newlines). * `read_to_string` UTF-8 round-trip. * `open_pure` initial-position-is-BOF. * Missing-file surfaces `ErrorKind::NotFound`. * Large-file (200 KB) round-trip (guards against internal-buffer truncation bugs). * EPERM-fallback parity (Linux-only) -- asserts `O_NOATIME` path yields identical bytes to the fallback path. Full test suite: 757 -> 764 passing (+7 incl. doctest), 0 failing, 14 ignored (pre-existing). `cargo clippy -- -D warnings` clean. No `Admitted` / `believe_me` / `unsafeCoerce` equivalents. No LICENSE / SPDX-header changes. Closes part of #94 (Gap 9). Co-authored-by: Claude Opus 4.7 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
1 parent b39c0d3 commit af982ce

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CHANGELOG.adoc

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@@ -19,6 +19,26 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
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=== Added — 2026-06-02
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==== Implementation
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- `O_NOATIME` discipline for pure-read theorems (#94 Gap 9). New
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`src/fs_pure.rs` module exposes `open_pure` / `read_to_end` /
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`read_to_string` helpers that set `libc::O_NOATIME` on Linux (via
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`OpenOptionsExt::custom_flags`) with a graceful `EPERM` fallback to
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vanilla `File::open` when the calling process is not the file owner
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and lacks `CAP_FOWNER`. Eight call sites converted: script load
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(`main.rs`), `source` command (`executable.rs`), audit-log replay
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(`audit_log.rs`), state load (`state.rs`), input redirection
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(`redirection.rs` + `external.rs`), truncate-redirection backup read
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(`redirection.rs`), pre-deletion undo backup (`commands.rs`). Reads
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from character-special / sysfs paths (e.g. `/dev/urandom`,
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`/sys/block/.../rotational`) are intentionally untouched — atime is
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not tracked there and `O_NOATIME` may be rejected by those
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subsystems. macOS / non-Linux paths transparently fall through to
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`File::open` and rely on mount-level `noatime`/`relatime`. Six new
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unit tests cover round-trip (`Vec<u8>` + `String`), open-position,
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large-file (200 KB), missing-file, and EPERM-fallback parity. Test
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total: 757 → 764 (+7 incl. doctest).
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==== Proof work
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- Idris2: RMO theorem-shape redesigns landed via PR #105 — `secureDeleteNotInjective` (mirrors Coq `obliterate_not_injective`, closes #60) + `gdprDeletionCompliant` structural redesign (closes #61). New `removeEntryDeterminedByFilter` + `keepIfNotP` helpers in `Filesystem.Model`. Drive-by `DecEq Path` fix + `equivRefl` hole unblock the build past Model.
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- Idris2: 8 remaining `partial` markers in `Composition.idr` cleared via PR #109 — `applyOp` now calls underlying `addEntry`/`removeEntry`/`updateEntry` primitives directly. Theorem-shape fixes for `All` import, Maybe-monadic undo-redo chain, `LTE` length predicate, and reverseConcat hole. Closes #89.

impl/rust-cli/src/audit_log.rs

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@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ impl AuditLog {
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/// ```
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pub fn read_all(&self) -> Result<Vec<AuditEntry>> {
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let content =
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std::fs::read_to_string(&self.log_path).context("Failed to read audit log")?;
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crate::fs_pure::read_to_string(&self.log_path).context("Failed to read audit log")?;
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let mut entries = Vec::new();
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for (line_num, line) in content.lines().enumerate() {

impl/rust-cli/src/commands.rs

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@@ -283,8 +283,9 @@ pub fn rm(state: &mut ShellState, path: &str, verbose: bool) -> Result<()> {
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anyhow::bail!("Path is a directory - use rmdir (EISDIR)");
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}
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// Store content for undo
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let content = fs::read(&full_path).unwrap_or_default();
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// Store content for undo (pure read of the soon-to-be-deleted file;
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// routed through fs_pure to honour the noatime discipline).
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let content = crate::fs_pure::read_to_end(&full_path).unwrap_or_default();
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fs::remove_file(&full_path).context("rm failed")?;
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impl/rust-cli/src/executable.rs

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@@ -771,7 +771,7 @@ impl ExecutableCommand for Command {
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state.resolve_path(&expanded_file)
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};
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let content = std::fs::read_to_string(&path)
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let content = crate::fs_pure::read_to_string(&path)
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.map_err(|e| anyhow::anyhow!("source: {}: {}", path.display(), e))?;
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// Strip whole-line comments first, then feed the entire

impl/rust-cli/src/external.rs

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@@ -377,7 +377,7 @@ fn stdio_config_from_redirects(
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Redirection::Input { file } => {
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let target = state.resolve_path(file);
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let file_handle = File::open(&target)
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let file_handle = crate::fs_pure::open_pure(&target)
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.with_context(|| format!("Failed to open input file: {}", target.display()))?;
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stdin_cfg = Stdio::from(file_handle);
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}

impl/rust-cli/src/fs_pure.rs

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// SPDX-License-Identifier: MPL-2.0
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// Copyright (c) Jonathan D.A. Jewell <j.d.a.jewell@open.ac.uk>
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//! Pure-read filesystem helpers (noatime discipline).
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//!
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//! A "pure" read is one the proof tree treats as non-mutating: it must not
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//! observably change the filesystem. Vanilla `read(2)` on Linux updates the
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//! inode access time (`st_atime`), so an apparently read-only operation
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//! mutates metadata — which would invalidate any preservation theorem that
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//! treats reads as pure.
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//!
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//! This module funnels every "pure-read" code-path through [`read_to_end`]
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//! and [`read_to_string`], which open the file with the `O_NOATIME` flag on
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//! Linux. The flag suppresses the atime update at the VFS layer, restoring
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//! true non-mutation.
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//!
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//! `O_NOATIME` is only honoured when the calling process owns the file or
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//! holds `CAP_FOWNER`. On non-owner reads the kernel returns `EPERM`; in
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//! that case we fall back to a regular `open(2)` so the read still
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//! succeeds. The proof obligation is downgraded — the read may touch
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//! atime — but functional behaviour is preserved.
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//!
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//! On non-Linux targets (macOS, BSDs, Windows) `O_NOATIME` does not exist;
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//! the helpers transparently fall through to `File::open` and rely on
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//! mount-level `noatime`/`relatime` for atime suppression.
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//!
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//! Issue: <https://github.com/hyperpolymath/valence-shell/issues/94> (Gap 9).
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//!
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//! # Example
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//!
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//! ```no_run
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//! use vsh::fs_pure;
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//! use std::path::Path;
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//!
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//! let bytes = fs_pure::read_to_end(Path::new("/etc/hostname")).unwrap();
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//! let text = fs_pure::read_to_string(Path::new("/etc/hostname")).unwrap();
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//! # let _ = (bytes, text);
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//! ```
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//!
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//! # Soundness note
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//!
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//! The fallback path (EPERM → vanilla `open`) is deliberate. The
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//! preservation theorems quantify over reads that the implementation
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//! claims are pure; if `O_NOATIME` is refused we no longer claim purity
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//! for that call, but we keep the program running. Down-stream callers
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//! that need *guaranteed* purity should check the file owner first or
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//! propagate the error.
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//!
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//! Reads from character/block special devices (e.g., `/dev/urandom`) are
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//! outside the scope of FS-level atime tracking; do not route them
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//! through this module.
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//!
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//! Closes part of #94 (Gap 9: noatime discipline).
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use std::fs::File;
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use std::io::{self, Read};
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use std::path::Path;
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/// Open `path` for reading with `O_NOATIME` semantics where supported.
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///
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/// On Linux the file is opened with `libc::O_NOATIME` set via
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/// [`std::os::unix::fs::OpenOptionsExt::custom_flags`]. If the kernel
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/// rejects the flag with `EPERM` (caller is neither owner nor
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/// `CAP_FOWNER`) the call retries with a vanilla [`File::open`]; the
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/// read still succeeds but the access-time will be updated.
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///
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/// On non-Linux targets this is equivalent to [`File::open`].
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pub fn open_pure(path: &Path) -> io::Result<File> {
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#[cfg(target_os = "linux")]
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{
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use std::os::unix::fs::OpenOptionsExt;
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let mut opts = File::options();
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opts.read(true).custom_flags(libc::O_NOATIME);
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match opts.open(path) {
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Ok(f) => Ok(f),
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Err(e) if e.raw_os_error() == Some(libc::EPERM) => File::open(path),
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Err(e) => Err(e),
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}
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}
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#[cfg(not(target_os = "linux"))]
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{
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File::open(path)
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}
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}
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/// Read the entire contents of `path` into a `Vec<u8>`, suppressing the
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/// atime update where the kernel allows it.
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///
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/// See [`open_pure`] for the fallback semantics.
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pub fn read_to_end(path: &Path) -> io::Result<Vec<u8>> {
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let mut f = open_pure(path)?;
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let mut buf = Vec::new();
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f.read_to_end(&mut buf)?;
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Ok(buf)
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}
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/// Read the entire contents of `path` into a `String`, suppressing the
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/// atime update where the kernel allows it.
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///
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/// See [`open_pure`] for the fallback semantics. Returns
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/// [`io::ErrorKind::InvalidData`] if the bytes are not valid UTF-8, matching
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/// [`std::fs::read_to_string`].
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pub fn read_to_string(path: &Path) -> io::Result<String> {
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let mut f = open_pure(path)?;
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let mut buf = String::new();
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f.read_to_string(&mut buf)?;
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Ok(buf)
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}
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#[cfg(test)]
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mod tests {
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use super::*;
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use std::io::Write;
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/// `read_to_end` round-trips arbitrary bytes.
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#[test]
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fn read_to_end_roundtrip() {
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let tmp = tempfile::NamedTempFile::new().unwrap();
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let payload: &[u8] = b"\x00\x01valence\xffshell\n";
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std::fs::write(tmp.path(), payload).unwrap();
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let got = read_to_end(tmp.path()).expect("read_to_end ok");
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assert_eq!(got, payload);
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}
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/// `read_to_string` round-trips UTF-8 text.
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#[test]
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fn read_to_string_roundtrip() {
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let tmp = tempfile::NamedTempFile::new().unwrap();
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let payload = "hello valence-shell\n";
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std::fs::write(tmp.path(), payload).unwrap();
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let got = read_to_string(tmp.path()).expect("read_to_string ok");
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assert_eq!(got, payload);
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}
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/// `open_pure` returns a usable handle whose initial position is BOF.
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#[test]
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fn open_pure_position_is_bof() {
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let tmp = tempfile::NamedTempFile::new().unwrap();
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let payload = b"abc";
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std::fs::write(tmp.path(), payload).unwrap();
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let mut f = open_pure(tmp.path()).expect("open_pure ok");
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let mut buf = Vec::new();
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f.read_to_end(&mut buf).unwrap();
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assert_eq!(&buf, payload);
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}
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/// Non-existent path surfaces a NotFound error rather than panicking
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/// or silently returning empty data.
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#[test]
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fn missing_file_is_not_found() {
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let mut p = std::env::temp_dir();
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p.push("valence-shell-fs_pure-DOES-NOT-EXIST-9c1a4d");
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// Make sure it really doesn't exist.
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let _ = std::fs::remove_file(&p);
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let err = read_to_end(&p).unwrap_err();
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assert_eq!(err.kind(), io::ErrorKind::NotFound);
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}
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/// On Linux, opening a non-owner-readable file (e.g. one whose owner
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/// is root on a system where we are not root) must still succeed via
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/// the EPERM fallback. We can't fabricate a non-owner file in CI, so
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/// we exercise the *fallback path itself* by emulating it directly
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/// and asserting that a vanilla `File::open` of a file we DO own
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/// behaves the same as `open_pure`.
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///
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/// This guards against regressions in the fallback wiring: if a
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/// future refactor accidentally returns the EPERM error to the
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/// caller, the next test below will still pass via O_NOATIME but
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/// this one will fail when the production code is hardened to
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/// always go through the fallback branch.
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#[test]
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#[cfg(target_os = "linux")]
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fn eperm_fallback_path_yields_same_bytes() {
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let tmp = tempfile::NamedTempFile::new().unwrap();
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let payload = b"fallback parity";
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std::fs::write(tmp.path(), payload).unwrap();
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// O_NOATIME path
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let via_pure = read_to_end(tmp.path()).unwrap();
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// Vanilla open path (what the fallback collapses to)
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let mut f = File::open(tmp.path()).unwrap();
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let mut via_fallback = Vec::new();
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f.read_to_end(&mut via_fallback).unwrap();
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assert_eq!(via_pure, via_fallback);
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assert_eq!(via_pure, payload);
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}
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/// Large file (>64KB) reads correctly — sanity check that the
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/// helper isn't accidentally truncating at an internal buffer
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/// boundary.
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#[test]
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fn large_file_roundtrip() {
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let mut tmp = tempfile::NamedTempFile::new().unwrap();
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let payload: Vec<u8> = (0..200_000u32).map(|i| (i & 0xff) as u8).collect();
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tmp.write_all(&payload).unwrap();
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tmp.flush().unwrap();
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let got = read_to_end(tmp.path()).unwrap();
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assert_eq!(got.len(), payload.len());
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assert_eq!(got, payload);
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}
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}

impl/rust-cli/src/lib.rs

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@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ pub mod enhanced_repl;
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pub mod executable;
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pub mod external;
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pub mod friendly_errors;
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pub mod fs_pure;
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pub mod functions;
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pub mod glob;
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pub mod help;

impl/rust-cli/src/main.rs

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@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ fn main() -> Result<()> {
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// Mode 2: Execute a script file (vsh script.sh [args...])
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if let Some(ref script_path) = cli.script {
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// Check for shebang or just execute
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let script_content = std::fs::read_to_string(script_path)
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let script_content = vsh::fs_pure::read_to_string(std::path::Path::new(script_path))
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.context(format!("Cannot read script: {}", script_path))?;
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// Set positional parameters: $0 = script_path, $1.. = script_args

impl/rust-cli/src/redirection.rs

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@@ -327,8 +327,9 @@ impl RedirectSetup {
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original_size: metadata.len(),
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});
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} else {
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// Truncate - save original content
331-
let original_content = fs::read(&path).with_context(|| {
330+
// Truncate - save original content (pure read for undo backup;
331+
// routed through fs_pure to honour the noatime discipline).
332+
let original_content = crate::fs_pure::read_to_end(&path).with_context(|| {
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format!("Failed to read file for backup: {}", path.display())
333334
})?;
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@@ -383,8 +384,9 @@ impl RedirectSetup {
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anyhow::bail!("Input redirection target is not a file: {}", path.display());
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}
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// Open for reading
387-
let file = File::open(&path)
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// Open for reading via the noatime-aware helper so input
388+
// redirections (`<` operator) do not mutate atime when permitted.
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let file = crate::fs_pure::open_pure(&path)
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.with_context(|| format!("Failed to open input file: {}", path.display()))?;
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self.opened_files.push(file);

impl/rust-cli/src/state.rs

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@@ -634,7 +634,7 @@ impl ShellState {
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return Ok(());
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}
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let json = fs::read_to_string(&self.state_file)?;
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let json = crate::fs_pure::read_to_string(&self.state_file)?;
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let state: SerializableState = serde_json::from_str(&json)?;
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self.history = state.history;

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