Is ROOT case sensitive?

Please provide the following information:


ROOT Version (e.g. 6.12/02): 6/12/06
Platform, compiler (e.g. CentOS 7.3, gcc6.2): MacBook Pro mid 2012, Mac OSX 10.13.4


Once upon a time I was having problems compiling certain ROOT programs. The issue seemed to be that some routines assumed the file system was case sensitive. So I created a case sensitive partition on the disk and installed ROOT there. Problem solved.

Since then I have continued to install ROOT in that CS partition and I can continue to do this but I am curious since it doesn’t seem to be mentioned in any installation guide, etc. The normal Mac file system is case insensitive.

Which routines? Being case-sensitive or not is a property of the file system, as you mentioned. Since most file systems are case-sensitive, there may be bugs that only show when the file system is case-insensitive, so in that case we need to know what exactly the problem is to be able to fix it, or if it’s just a normal consequence of the file system being case-insensitive (i.e., you won’t be able to differentiate between filename and FileName, but that’s not a bug).

Hi Amadio,

Thanks for the reply.  I completely understand and as I said my current installation is working just fine.  In many instances a case sensitive system makes more sense and ensures stricter naming for functions, variables, etc. which is a better coding practise.  But I am reluctant to switch my entire disk completely to a case sensitive file system for fear that some Mac app or maybe the operating system relies on being case insensitive in some obscure and deeply hidden line of code.

I can live with this.  Thanks.

                                                 Cheers,
                                                         Douglas

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