python / python/cpython

shutil.rmtree fails if inner folder is open in Windows Explorer

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3.10 3.8 (EOL) 3.9 (EOL) OS-windows stdlib type-bug
Dominant language
Python
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Description

BPO 33240
Nosy @gpshead, @pfmoore, @giampaolo, @tjguk, @tarekziade, @zware, @eryksun, @zooba, @ofek

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 = None
created_at = <Date 2018-04-08.02:51:56.693>
labels = ['type-bug', '3.8', '3.9', '3.10', 'library', 'OS-windows']
title = 'shutil.rmtree fails if inner folder is open in Windows Explorer'
updated_at = <Date 2021-03-21.00:29:42.709>
user = 'https://bugs.python.org/yuliu'

bugs.python.org fields:

activity = <Date 2021-03-21.00:29:42.709>
actor = 'eryksun'
assignee = 'none'
closed = False
closed_date = None
closer = None
components = ['Library (Lib)', 'Windows']
creation = <Date 2018-04-08.02:51:56.693>
creator = 'yuliu'
dependencies = []
files = []
hgrepos = []
issue_num = 33240
keywords = []
message_count = 14.0
messages = ['315077', '315078', '315103', '315105', '315110', '315126', '315129', '315185', '365768', '388964', '389193', '389200', '389201', '389203']
nosy_count = 10.0
nosy_names = ['gregory.p.smith', 'paul.moore', 'giampaolo.rodola', 'tim.golden', 'tarek', 'zach.ware', 'eryksun', 'steve.dower', 'Ofekmeister', 'yuliu']
pr_nums = []
priority = 'normal'
resolution = None
stage = 'test needed'
status = 'open'
superseder = None
type = 'behavior'
url = 'https://bugs.python.org/issue33240'
versions = ['Python 3.8', 'Python 3.9', 'Python 3.10']

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

Start with shutil.rmtree and reproduce the failure on Windows while an inner folder is open in Windows Explorer. Read the existing library and Windows-related tests, then add the needed regression coverage. Done means shutil.rmtree no longer fails in the reported scenario.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
python
Domain
operating-systems
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
35/100

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