replaceFile created a temp file, which was guaranteed to not overlap with
another temp file. However, makeAnnexLink then deleted that file, in
preparation for making the symlink in its place. This caused a race, since
some other replaceFile could create a temp file, using the same name!
I was able to reproduce the race easily running git-annex add -J10 in a
directory with 100 files (all with different contents). Some files would
get ingested into the annex, but their annex links would fail to be added.
There could be other situations where this same problem could occur.
Perhaps when the assistant is adding a file, if the user manually also ran
git-annex add. Perhaps in cases not involving adding a file.
The new replaceFile makes a temprary directory, which is guaranteed to be
unique, and doesn't make a temp file in there. makeAnnexLink can thus
create the symlink without problem and the race is avoided.
Audited all calls to replaceFile to make sure that the old behavior of
providing an empty temp file was not relied on.
The general problem of asking for a temp file and deleting it as part of
the process of using it could reach beyond replaceFile. Did some quick
audits and didn't find other cases of it. Probably only symlink creation
stuff would tend to make that mistake, mostly.
git-annex allows managing files with git, without checking the file
contents into git. While that may seem paradoxical, it is useful when
dealing with files larger than git can currently easily handle, whether due
to limitations in memory, checksumming time, or disk space.
For documentation, see doc/ or <https://git-annex.branchable.com/>
51e60259e1