"file:" URL Test Cases

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file: URL Test Cases

Abstract:
This document provides file: URL tests in compliance with RFC 1738 and RFC 1630.

Before you start:
This test points to files that should be on a standard installation. In some cases, you need to create an extra test bed of files.
The next re-write will include recommended steps for the location and creation of the test bed. For now, I've tried to provide some general instructions on the creation of the files. Mac OS users need to rename their hard drive (or create a new, small partition) called "Macintosh HD".

Running the test:
Testing file URLs is complicated by the the checkloadURI feature, which disables file: URLs in network served (http: and https:) pages.
The test methodology is to take the test case (a string that could be a file: // URL) and paste it into the Location/URL bar and hit enter.
The fastest way of running the test is to select a URL by double clicking, then use keyboard shortcuts to:

Linux: copy the selection, select and clear the Location URL (control-l + backspace), and hit return).
MacOS/Windows: copy the selection, select the Location URL (control-l or command -l), paste the file: URL, and hit return.

Scheme tests	URL	Results	Comments
scheme-only	`file`	`-> hostname "file"` `-> try http://file.localdomain.tld` `-> try http://www.file.com`	Normal URL bar handling.
incomplete scheme-only formating	`file:` `file:/` `file://`	`-> about:blank (Linux: file:///)-> about:blank` `(Linux: file:///)` `-> about:blank` `(Linux: file:///)`	file: + 0-2 slashes -> "file:///", see 65152 (regression: only Linux works in RC1)
incomplete scheme+path	`file:<path>` `file:/<path>``Windows`: `file:/C:/config.sys file://C:/config.sys Mac OS: file:Macintosh%20HD/fileURLs/text.txtfile:/Macintosh%20HD/fileURLs/text.txt Linux+Chimera: file:fileURLs/text.txt file:/fileURLs/text.txt`	`-> file:///<path> Windows: config.sys should exist MacOS, Linux, Chimera: create fileURLs/text.txt`	Schemes with missing "/"s will be corrected when possible (file://<path> cannot be corrected, see below)
minimal URL	`file:///`		"file:///" displays blank page in Mac OS (X and classic) and Win32 13607
<host> tests
file:// w/ fqdn	`file://hostname/`	`A file URL takes the form:` `file://<host>/<path>` `where <host> is the fully qualified domain name of the system on which the <path> is accessible, and <path> is a hierarchical directory path of the form <directory>/<directory>/.../<name>. 3.10`	Expeted result: same as "file:///" (see test above) <host> is not checked: 70871
localhost	`file://localhost/`	As a special case, <host> can be the string "localhost" or the empty string; this is interpreted as `the machine from which the URL is being interpreted'. `3.10`	Expeted result: same as "file:///" (see test above) Mac OS X problems: 140606
non-hostname in hostname field	`file://<filename> file://<path>/<path>/<filename>`		Since the file URL would accept the first part as a hostname, the file URL is valid, even if the author intended to use "file:///" as the prefix. Only exception is for DOS volumes (see next test)
DOS volume promotion	`file://c\|file://c:` `file://c\|/` `file://c:/`	`-> file:///c\|/ -> file:///c:/ -> file:///c\|/ -> file:///c:/`	DOS volumes are moved from the host field to the first path segment (see 24431). The first two examples also are "/" (see next test) Problems in Mac/Linux 102724
Path
DOS volume recognition	`file:///c:` `file:///C:/Program%20Files`	`-> file:///c:/` `-> file:///C:/Program%20Files`	adding a trailing "/" happens for DOS volume letters only Mac OS X will not error: see 128909
"?"	`Windows: file:///c:/?MacOS: file:///Macintosh%20HD/fileURLs/?file:///Macintosh%20HD/fileURLs/testof?.txt` `file:///Macintosh%20HD/fileURLs/testof%3F.txt Linux: file:///fileURLs/?file:///fileURLs/testof?.txt` `file:///fileURLs/test%3F.txt`	check as filename and as character in filename. Windows: "?" is not allowed in files Mac/Linux: create a file named "test?.txt"	Problems"?" as path segment Win, Mac OS X 59002 Characters after ? are treated as query, not part of filename 102603
"#"	`file:///C:/WINDOWS/Desktop/FileURLs/has%23.txt file:///Macintosh%20HD/fileURLs/testof%23.txt file:///Macintosh%20HD/fileURLs/fragment_test.html#here` `file:////fileURLs/testof%23.txt`	create: "filehas#.txt"	"#" must be escaped, unescaped "#" is a fragment (anchor)
" "	Windows: `file:///C:/Program Files`
":"	Windows: ":" is invalid Macintosh OS ":" is invalid	create URL that points to illegal file.
"."	`file:///C:/WINDOWS/Desktop/FileURLs/trailing. file:///Macintosh%20HD/fileURLs/trailing.`	create: "trailing."	trailing dot problems 149586
File Handling			File Handling QA
text	`Windows: file:///C:/Autoexec.bat Linux: file:///etc/hosts`		need sample URL for Mac Classic
other mime typefiletype sniffing	`Windows: file:///C:/WINDOWS/Desktop/FileURLs/mozilla-bannerMacOS: file:///Macintosh%20HD/fileURLs/mozilla-banner Linux: file:///fileURLs/mozilla-banner`	Save the mozilla-banner (at top of page) to file named "mozilla.banner" w/o a .gif extension	file:// needs decoder to sniff file types (see 83241)
executables	file URL that is executable on OS `Windows: file:///C:/command.com`	use:`Mac OS classic file Mac OS X file`	see 59932 (also, MacOS 48165 ) (tries to save in RC1 Win32, Mac OS X classic apps) Mac OS X apps are directories
User Interface
Reload	any directory any file	opening file:///C:/, adding file, hit reload shows new files editing a file and reloading should show new copy	directories had problem, see 90504
View Source	directories files	<pending html view> <unknown> .	blank page, works in Linux Win32 RC1 attempts to save file
Back + Forward	buttons should work		see Session:History for full testing
Exceptions
non-existent file	any file that does not exist.	should provide error message. fixed in Non-existent DOS drive references do not error.	fixed in 63048 no drive/volume error needed, see 128909
empty file	create empty file and open it `Windows: file:///C:/WINDOWS/Desktop/FileURLs/empty`	displays empty page, that is not about:blank Mac OS and Linux users: use "touch emptyfile"	should display only empty page (nothing else), see: 102737
full disk	test w/ floppy		white box problem: 100687
Preferences
file:// links in HTTP document		`The file URL scheme is unusual in that it does not specify an Internet protocol or access method for such files; as such, its utility in network protocols between hosts is limited.`	security.checkloadURI=true will block file: URLs on network served pages. use "about:config" to view pref easily
html view		`network.dir.format` - set to 1 if you want XUL dir.	not working for file yet. bug 10812 (needs qa review)

Results contain some quotes from RFC 1738.

To do:
Re-write test to use a standard testbed of files (and provide instructions for creating them on your local disk). -Windows paths updated, will post file archive soon.
Re-arrange tests to isolate platform specific tests.
Research syntaxtical aspects of local file systems (ongoing)

Last Update:
10.11.2002 - further cleanup of suggested paths

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