starfile.write ignores overwrite=True argument in the newest versions

[rsanchezgarc]

• starfile version: 0.5.8 and master branch
• Python version: 3.11
• Operating System: Ubuntu 22.04

Description

The line star file.write(data, name, overwrite=True) generates a backup file of the original file named fname+"~". In past versions, it just overwrote the file if overwrite was True; otherwise, it raised an exception.

This happens here

starfile/src/starfile/writer.py

Line 44 in a2e9927

self.backup_if_file_exists()

It would be great if the overwrite=True behaviour were returned to the API so that unwanted files are not generated.

[alisterburt]

ahh, good catch - thanks for the report!

[alisterburt]

seems this was part of a larger change in #36 - I changed to defaulting to overwriting because we're adults and shouldn't be writing files programmatically without care...

I think the solution I like most is to get rid of the backup mechanism, what do you think?

cc @jojoelfe

[jojoelfe]

I kind of like the backup mechanism. But not super attached to it. I think my ideal behavior would be:

• Default: Overwrite, but create backup and print warning
• overwrite=True: Overwrite no warning or backup
• overwrite=False: Fail with error message if file already exists

[rsanchezgarc]

both options seem sensible to me. I just want it to keep the old behaviour if overwrite=True

[alisterburt]

closed by #76