# Sys-filesystem interface advice **URL:** \ **Category:** Ruby\ **Created:** [February 23, 2009, 7:44pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/sys-filesystem-interface-advice/161141 "2009-02-23T19:44:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![danielb](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@danielb](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/danielb)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2009, 7:44pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/sys-filesystem-interface-advice/161141/1 "2009-02-23T19:44:46Z")
Hi, I’m going to add the Filesystem.mount\_point method. It will simply return the mount point associated with the given file. Example: Filesystem.mount\_point(’/home/djberge/foo.txt’) # =\> ‘/home’ (RHEL Linux) My dilemma is what I should do when I can’t find an associated mount point. For example, the device number for ‘/dev’ on our RHEL box at work doesn’t match the device number of any of the mount points. Which of these options seems most appropriate? 1 - Return nil 2 - Return ‘/’ 3 - Return itself, e.g. ‘/dev’ would return ‘/dev’ 4 - Raise an error Suggestions? Regards, Dan ---
**Author:** ![danielb](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@danielb](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/danielb)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2009, 10:39pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/sys-filesystem-interface-advice/161141/2 "2009-02-26T22:39:22Z")
On Feb 23, 11:43 am, Daniel B. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > My dilemma is what I should do when I can’t find an associated mount > Suggestions? > Well, since no one chimed in, I went with “returns itself”. BTW, I’ve released sys-filesystem 0.3.0, which now includes support for FreeBSD and OS X. Thanks go to Nobuyoshi Miyokawa for that. Regards, Dan ---
**Author:** ![danielb](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@danielb](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/danielb)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2009, 10:59pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/sys-filesystem-interface-advice/161141/3 "2009-02-26T22:59:36Z")
Daniel B. wrote: > On Feb 23, 11:43�am, Daniel B. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > > > My dilemma is what I should do when I can’t find an associated mount > > Suggestions? > > Well, since no one chimed in, I went with “returns itself”. First, sorry, haven’t got a clue what you are talking about. There is no mounting point specified in your example!? But that is not the reason for my reply. Rather, I would like to know where did the Filesystem class came from, and if there is any documentation on this? However, I do think, returning itself in this case is definitely not the way to go, raising an error would be my preference! ---
**Author:** ![danielb](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@danielb](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/danielb)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2009, 7:32pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/sys-filesystem-interface-advice/161141/4 "2009-02-27T19:32:15Z")
> Well, since no one chimed in, I went with “returns itself”. Just a thought: a return value of nil would make it possible for users to opt for return-itself behaviour by using ``` Filesystem.mount_point(itself = '/home/djberge/foo.txt') || itself ``` I have no idea which case is be more likely but it seems to me that returning itself gives users fewer choices. It seems to me that nil would be more consistent with the usual ruby practice. – Leo The end is here --\> ---
**Author:** ![danielb](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@danielb](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/danielb)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2009, 9:06pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/sys-filesystem-interface-advice/161141/5 "2009-02-27T21:06:44Z")
Daniel B. wrote: > I don’t understand your question. It should be visible in the rdoc > generated when you did “gem install sys-filesystem”. Thank you for your reply. The “gem install sys-filesystem” was not obvious to me, instead I thought you may be talking about a new expansion of standard Ruby classes, modules or interfaces. ---
**Author:** ![danielb](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@danielb](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/danielb)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2009, 6:01pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/sys-filesystem-interface-advice/161141/6 "2009-02-27T18:01:44Z")
On Feb 26, 2:58 pm, Igor P. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > Daniel B. wrote: > > > On Feb 23, 11:43 am, Daniel B. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > > > > > My dilemma is what I should do when I can’t find an associated mount > > > Suggestions? > > > Well, since no one chimed in, I went with “returns itself”. > > First, sorry, haven’t got a clue what you are talking about. There is no > mounting point specified in your example!? On our RHEL box, the device id for ‘/dev’ does not match the device id of any of the mount points. > But that is not the reason > for my reply. Rather, I would like to know where did the Filesystem > class came from, and if there is any documentation on this? I don’t understand your question. It should be visible in the rdoc generated when you did “gem install sys-filesystem”. Regards, Dan