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netrc does not work if $HOME is not set #72521

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dmerejkowsky mannequin opened this issue Oct 1, 2016 · 9 comments
Closed

netrc does not work if $HOME is not set #72521

dmerejkowsky mannequin opened this issue Oct 1, 2016 · 9 comments
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3.7 (EOL) end of life stdlib Python modules in the Lib dir type-bug An unexpected behavior, bug, or error

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@dmerejkowsky
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dmerejkowsky mannequin commented Oct 1, 2016

BPO 28334
Nosy @terryjreedy, @vstinner, @berkerpeksag, @zhangyangyu, @dmerejkowsky
PRs
  • bpo-28334: fix netrc not working when $HOME is not set #123
  • bpo-28334: netrc() now uses expanduser() to find .netrc file #4537
    		•
    Files
  • netrc-use-expanduser.patch
  • netrc-use-expanduser-with-test.patch
    		•

    Note: these values reflect the state of the issue at the time it was migrated and might not reflect the current state.

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    GitHub fields:

    assignee = None
closed_at = <Date 2017-11-25.10:39:33.765>
created_at = <Date 2016-10-01.15:35:54.397>
labels = ['3.7', 'type-bug', 'library']
title = 'netrc does not work if $HOME is not set'
updated_at = <Date 2017-11-25.10:39:33.763>
user = 'https://github.com/dmerejkowsky'

    bugs.python.org fields:

    activity = <Date 2017-11-25.10:39:33.763>
actor = 'berker.peksag'
assignee = 'none'
closed = True
closed_date = <Date 2017-11-25.10:39:33.765>
closer = 'berker.peksag'
components = ['Library (Lib)']
creation = <Date 2016-10-01.15:35:54.397>
creator = 'Dimitri Merejkowsky'
dependencies = []
files = ['44914', '44933']
hgrepos = []
issue_num = 28334
keywords = ['patch']
message_count = 9.0
messages = ['277824', '277847', '277894', '278276', '278438', '278447', '278932', '306950', '306951']
nosy_count = 5.0
nosy_names = ['terry.reedy', 'vstinner', 'berker.peksag', 'xiang.zhang', 'Dimitri Merejkowsky']
pr_nums = ['123', '4537']
priority = 'normal'
resolution = 'fixed'
stage = 'resolved'
status = 'closed'
superseder = None
type = 'behavior'
url = 'https://bugs.python.org/issue28334'
versions = ['Python 3.7']
    @dmerejkowsky
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    dmerejkowsky mannequin commented Oct 1, 2016

    If $HOME is not set, netrc will raise an exception.

    Attached patch fixes the problem by using os.path.expanduser instead

    @dmerejkowsky dmerejkowsky mannequin added 3.7 (EOL) end of life stdlib Python modules in the Lib dir type-bug An unexpected behavior, bug, or error labels Oct 1, 2016
    @berkerpeksag
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    Thanks for the patch, Dimitri. I think this is a reasonable improvement. However, since we are changing the behavior of the netrc() class, I'm not sure this can be considered as a bug fix.

    In any case, 3.3 and 3.4 are in security-fix-only mode so I'm going to remove them from the versions field.

    We need two things from you to move this forward:

    1. A test. It should go in Lib/test/test_netrc.py. You can use
           env = support.EnvironmentVarGuard()
       env.unset('HOME')

    to test the new behavior.

    1. A CLA form. You can sign it online at https://www.python.org/psf/contrib/contrib-form/

    @dmerejkowsky
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    dmerejkowsky mannequin commented Oct 2, 2016

    However, since we are changing the behavior of the netrc() class, I'm not sure this can be considered as a bug fix.

    I was not sure either. The patch does change behavior in subtle ways...

    I've added a new patch, and sent the CLA form.

    Thanks for your time!

    @terryjreedy
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    On Windows, HOME is both split into two variables and replaced by USERPROFILE.
    C:\Users\Terry>set HOME
    HOMEDRIVE=C:
    HOMEPATH=\Users\Terry

    C:\Users\Terry>set USERPROFILE
    USERPROFILE=C:\Users\Terry

    So if it make sense to run this on Windows*, I would call it a bug.

    • I am guessing that Windows' FTP clients do not use .netrc.

    The doc says "the file .netrc in the user’s home directory will be read." without qualification by "if $HOME is set". I don't remember how os.path.expanduser might otherwise find the home directory on unix and don't know what unix users might reasonbly expect.

    @dmerejkowsky
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    dmerejkowsky mannequin commented Oct 10, 2016

    if it make sense to run this on Windows

    I found this issue while running cross-platform code. I needed to store some credentials, did not mind having them in plain-text and I thought .netrc was a good place for this. (did not need to re-invent the wheel ...)

    don't know what unix users might reasonbly expect.

    Well, I guess as a bonus of this patch we could add a link to the os.path.expanduser section[1] in netrc documentation.

    The behavior when $HOME is not set is properly documented there.

    [1] https://docs.python.org/3/library/os.path.html#os.path.expanduser

    @terryjreedy
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    FWIW, some history: The $HOME lookup was in Guido's original 1998-12-22 patch:
    if not file:
    file = os.path.join(os.environ['HOME'], ".netrc")
    The lookup was wrapped in try-except 4 years later to give a 'consistent error message'.

    Module ntpath dates back to 1994. Expanduser only used HOMEDRIVE and HOMEPATH. Guido added support for HOME in 1997. Support for USERPROFILE was added a decade later.

    Since the module is NOT marked 'Unix-only', I think it a bug to not use os.path.expanduser. Larry, Ned, do either of you have an opinion on whether the change should be made in current versions or only 3.7?

    @dmerejkowsky
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    dmerejkowsky mannequin commented Oct 18, 2016

    During review SilentGhost suggested that maybe a test was not essential.

    In any case, I think patching documentation about the new behavior won't hurt.

    Do you want me to do that?

    @berkerpeksag
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    New changeset 8d9bb11 by Berker Peksag in branch 'master':
    bpo-28334: netrc() now uses expanduser() to find .netrc file (GH-4537)
    8d9bb11

    @berkerpeksag
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    Thanks, Dimitri.

    @ezio-melotti ezio-melotti transferred this issue from another repository Apr 10, 2022
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