How can I rename files in LMFS just to change the alphabetic case?

[Scott McKay <SWM@sapsucker.scrc.symbolics.com>]

    Date: Tue, 1 Dec 87 06:35 EST
    From: Jeffrey Mark Siskind <Qobi@ZERMATT.LCS.MIT.EDU>

    There seems to be some very annoying behavior in LMFS regarding alphabetic
    case in files names.

    1) I can have a directory, such as Z:>Qobi> which has subdirectories
    Z:>QOBI>memos>, Z:>qobi>prolog-alr, and Z:>Qobi>remote. Why does this
    happen. It is *VERY ANNOYING*.

    2) If I try to rename a directory (or any file for that matter) to change
    its alphabetic case, such as Z:>Qobi>remote> ---> Z:>Qobi>Remote> I can't
    because the system complains that the filename already exists. This is
    even *MORE ANNOYING*.

    3) If I try to be smart and first rename Z:>Qobi>remote> to Z:>Qobi>foo>
    and then to Z:>Qobi>Remote> the system tries very hard to outsmart me
    and automatically changes "Remote" to "remote". It seems that pathnames
    are interned someplace (though I don't know where: on my local machine,
    on the LMFS file server, on both? How many machines do I have to reboot
    to purge this cache? Do I have to expunge the directory/file system as
    well as reboot the machine?). This is *MOST ANNOYING*.

    4) The same thing happens with FEP files systems.

    Now I admit that this is purely an aesthetic issue and doesn't actually
    hinder any work, but I would appreciate it if someone could fix this
    bug eventually.

It's not really a "bug" in the sense that you are thinking.  The root of
this behavior is that parsed pathnames are interned.  There has been a
longstanding debate about whether or not they should be interned, which
I will not go into here.

There is a way to bludgeon around this, but it is fraught with potential
danger, so I won't say what it is.