Compatible Doclog docs for library(files)

src/lib/files.pl

@@ -1,3 +1,22 @@
+/** Predicates for reasoning about files and directories.
+
+In this library, directories and files are represented as
+*lists of characters*. This is an ideal representation:
+
+* Lists of characters can be conveniently reasoned about with DCGs
+   and built-in Prolog predicates from library(lists). This alone
+   is already a very compelling argument to use them.
+* Other Scryer libraries such as library(http/http_open) also already
+   use lists of characters to represent paths.
+* File names are mostly ephemeral, so it is good for efficiency
+   that they can quickly allocated transiently on the heap, leaving the
+   atom table mostly unaffected. Indexing is almost never needed
+   for file names. If needed, it should be added to the engine.
+* The previous point is also good for security, since the system
+   leaves little trace of which files were even accessed.
+* Scryer Prolog represents lists of characters extremely compactly.
+*/
+
 /* - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
    Written 2020, 2022 by Markus Triska (triska@metalevel.at)
    Part of Scryer Prolog.
@@ -67,41 +86,74 @@
 :- use_module(library(charsio)).
 :- use_module(library(dcgs)).
 
+%% directory_files(+Directory, -Files).
+%
+% Returns the list of files *and* directories available at a specific
+% directory in the current system.
+
 directory_files(Directory, Files) :-
         must_be(chars, Directory),
         can_be(list, Files),
         '$directory_files'(Directory, Files).
 
+%% file_size(+File, -Size).
+%
+% Returns the size (in bytes) of a file. The file must exist.
+
 file_size(File, Size) :-
         file_must_exist(File, file_size/2),
         can_be(integer, Size),
         '$file_size'(File, Size).
 
+%% file_exists(+File).
+%
+% Succeeds if File is a file that exists in the current system.
 file_exists(File) :-
         must_be(chars, File),
         '$file_exists'(File).
 
+%% directory_exists(+Directory).
+%
+% Succeeds if Directory is a directory that exists in the current system.
 directory_exists(Directory) :-
         must_be(chars, Directory),
         '$directory_exists'(Directory).
 
+%% make_directory(+Directory).
+%
+% Succeeds if it creates a new directory named Directory in the current system.
+% If you want to create a nested directory, use make\_directory\_path/1.
 make_directory(Directory) :-
         must_be(chars, Directory),
         '$make_directory'(Directory).
 
+%% make_directory_path(+Directory).
+%
+% Similar to make\_directory/1 but recursively creates directories if they're missing.
+% Equivalent to mkdir -p in Unix.
 make_directory_path(Directory) :-
         must_be(chars, Directory),
         '$make_directory_path'(Directory).
 
+%% delete_file(+File).
+%
+% Succeeds if deletes File from the current system.
 delete_file(File) :-
         file_must_exist(File, delete_file/1),
         '$delete_file'(File).
 
+%% rename_file(+File, +Renamed).
+%
+% Succeeds if File is renamed to Renamed
 rename_file(File, Renamed) :-
         file_must_exist(File, rename_file/2),
         must_be(chars, Renamed),
         '$rename_file'(File, Renamed).
 
+%% delete_directory(+Directory).
+%
+% Succeeds if Directory is deleted from the current system.
+% Directory must be empty.
 delete_directory(Directory) :-
         directory_must_exist(Directory, delete_directory/1),
         must_be(chars, Directory),
@@ -117,31 +169,31 @@ directory_must_exist(Directory, Context) :-
         ;   throw(error(existence_error(directory, Directory), Context))
         ).
 
-/* - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
+%% workind_directory(Dir0, Dir).
-   Dir0 is the current working directory, and the working directory
+%
-   is changed to Dir.
+% Dir0 is the current working directory, and the working directory
+% is changed to Dir.
 
-   Use working_directory(Ds, Ds) to determine the current working directory,
+% Use `working\_directory(Ds, Ds)` to determine the current working directory,
-   and leave it as is.
+% and leave it as is.
-- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - */
 
 working_directory(Dir0, Dir) :-
         can_be(list, Dir0),
         can_be(list, Dir),
         '$working_directory'(Dir0, Dir).
 
-/* - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
+%% path_canonical(Ps, Cs).
-   True iff Cs is the canonical, absolute path of Ps.
+%
-
+% True iff Cs is the canonical, absolute path of Ps.
-   All intermediate components are normalized, and all symbolic links
+%
-   are resolved.
+% All intermediate components are normalized, and all symbolic links
-
+% are resolved.
-   The predicate fails in the following situations, though not
+%
-   necessarily *only* in these cases:
+% The predicate fails in the following situations, though not
-
+% necessarily *only* in these cases:
-      1. Ps is a path that does not exist.
+%
-      2. A non-final component in Ps is not a directory.
+% 1. Ps is a path that does not exist.
-- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - */
+% 2. A non-final component in Ps is not a directory.
 
 path_canonical(Ps, Cs) :-
         must_be(chars, Ps),
@@ -155,12 +207,27 @@ path_canonical(Ps, Cs) :-
    For two time stamps A and B, if A precedes B, then A @< B holds.
 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - */
 
+%% file_modification_time(+File, -T).
+%
+% For a file File that must exist, it returns a time stamp  T with the modification time
+%
+% T is a time stamp compatible with library(time). 
 file_modification_time(File, T) :-
         file_time_(File, modification, T).
 
+%% file_access_time(+File, -T).
+%
+% For a file File that must exist, it returns a time stamp  T with the access time
+%
+% T is a time stamp compatible with library(time).
 file_access_time(File, T) :-
         file_time_(File, access, T).
 
+%% file_creation_time(+File, -T).
+%
+% For a file File that must exist, it returns a time stamp  T with the creation time
+%
+% T is a time stamp compatible with library(time).
 file_creation_time(File, T) :-
         file_time_(File, creation, T).
 
@@ -170,29 +237,27 @@ file_time_(File, Which, T) :-
         read_from_chars(T0, T).
 
 
-/* - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
+%% path_segments(Ps, Segments).
-   path_segments(Ps, Segments): True iff Segments are the segments of Ps.
+%
-
+% True iff Segments are the segments of Ps.
-   Segments is the list of components of the path Ps that are
+%
-   separated by the platform-specific directory separator. Each
+% Segments is the list of components of the path Ps that are
-   segment is a list of characters.
+% separated by the platform-specific directory separator. Each
-
+% segment is a list of characters.
-   At least one of the arguments must be instantiated.
+%
-
+% At least one of the arguments must be instantiated.
-   Examples:
+%
-
+% Examples:
-      ?- path_segments("/hello/there", Segments).
+%
-         Segments = [[],"hello","there"].
+%     ?- path_segments("/hello/there", Segments).
-
+%        Segments = [[],"hello","there"].
-      ?- path_segments(Path, ["hello","there"]).
+%     ?- path_segments(Path, ["hello","there"]).
-         Path = "hello/there".
+%        Path = "hello/there".
-
+%
-
+% To obtain the platform-specific directory separator, you can use:
-   To obtain the platform-specific directory separator, you can use:
+%
-
+%     ?- path_segments(Separator, ["",""]).
-      ?- path_segments(Separator, ["",""]).
+%        Separator = "/".
-         Separator = "/".
-- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - */
 
 path_segments(Path, Segments) :-
         '$directory_separator'(Sep),