Subject: Can you BIND lock-null resources?

From: Alan Kent <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 22 Jun 2001 10:29:22 +1000

Is it expected that you should be able to BIND a lock-null resource?

I am in the process of trying to come up with a software design for
the programmers here to implement WebDAV (first) and then DeltaV (later).
We want to build a fairly generic lump of code to do all the protocol
messing around with a fairly clean and simplified to the underlying
'file system of resources'.

So far I have put the LOCK mechanisms into the WebDAV library layer
(because they are based on URIs). I am also trying to keep the
'lock-null' resource concept in the WebDAV layer since they are
tightly related to locks. My current proposal is to keep track
of lock-null resources with properties that have been set and then
copy those properties over to the real resource when it is created
later (if I have understood things correctly).

I realise BIND is not in the base WebDAV spec, but I want to keep
what is done future proof.

There are two variations of questions I guess I have.

(1) Does the spec prohibit BIND-ing to a lock-null resource?
    (OK, I am being lazy and have not reread the spec again to
    verify this question - but the next question is the real question)

(2) Regardless of the spec, do people think its acceptable to fail
    BIND requests to a lock-null resource with an error? (Is there
    any reason why someone would want to do it before doing a PUT
    or MKCOL etc?)

Alan

ps: Thanks to all for time spent answering these questions.

---

From: "Jim Whitehead" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 21 Jun 2001 17:53:04 -0700

> Is it expected that you should be able to BIND a lock-null resource?

Interesting question. Since it is a resource, it makes sense that you can
bind to it. So I'd say, yes. But, I'd understand if servers decided to fail
such a request.

>     verify this question - but the next question is the real question)

I just gave it a quick look, and it seems like the BIND protocol
specification does not mention lock null resources.

>     any reason why someone would want to do it before doing a PUT

I think this is fine.

- Jim