[feature] Add "force" option to conan remote remove

[Nekto89]

What is your suggestion?

Hi,

I just had issue with corrupted remotes.json again. After #16089 I'm getting pretty error message but it still requires manual intervention or additional non-conan actions.

I'm only using these commands for working with remotes:

conan remote remove "*"
conan remote add remotename https://.../api/conan/...
conan remote login -p password remotename username

As a workaround I've added additional del /f/s/q "%CONAN_HOME%\remotes.json" right after conan remote remove "*" but I don't really like it. Is it possible to add additional option --force (-f) that will completely remove remotes.json even if it's unreadable JSON? And maybe create new one with zero remotes.

Have you read the CONTRIBUTING guide?

• I've read the CONTRIBUTING guide

[memsharded]

Hi @Nekto89

Thanks for your suggestion.

I'm only using these commands for working with remotes:

I am quite surprised that the remotes.json is still being corrupted by using just these commands. Is it possible that some of this commands are hard-killed often? That would be the only explanation that I can think of that would explain these commands leaving the remotes.json in a bad state, only if their writing to the file is abruptly killed.

The new proposed conan config clean command in #17514 will do the removal of all Conan cache files, including the remotes.json, maybe that would be a reasonable solution? If the remotes.json is corrupted it is possible that there are other configurations files also damaged, and it would be better to have a clean configuration?

[Nekto89]

I am quite surprised that the remotes.json is still being corrupted by using just these commands. Is it possible that some of this commands are hard-killed often? That would be the only explanation that I can think of that would explain these commands leaving the remotes.json in a bad state, only if their writing to the file is abruptly killed.

Pipeline can be cancelled at any point of time so there is definitely can be some "bad timing" if changes in this remotes.json aren't transactional.

The new proposed conan config clean command in #17514 will do the removal of all Conan cache files, including the remotes.json, maybe that would be a reasonable solution? If the remotes.json is corrupted it is possible that there are other configurations files also damaged, and it would be better to have a clean configuration?

conan config clean will probably work perfectly in my case. I also rewrite global.conf and cppstd_compat.py (disable it completely) from scratch each time but I am not using conan commands for that so didn't have any similar problems like with remotes.json.

[memsharded]

Pipeline can be cancelled at any point of time so there is definitely can be some "bad timing" if changes in this remotes.json aren't transactional.

There is a single load() and a single separate save() for file contents, so there is nothing in Conan code that could be corrupting the file contents due to interrupted operation. But it is still possible that the save() operation internally in Python and system code could be killed, stopping the writing of the file without completing or something like that. It is not possible from Conan code to implement this transactionally, as depends on external factors.

conan config clean will probably work perfectly in my case. I also rewrite global.conf and cppstd_compat.py (disable it completely) from scratch each time but I am not using conan commands for that so didn't have any similar problems like with remotes.json.

Sounds perfect, then I am marking this ticket to be closed by the PR, if the conan config clean solution doesn't work, you can always create new tickets. Thanks for the feedback!

[Nekto89]

It is not possible from Conan code to implement this transactionally, as depends on external factors.

Just an idea. Make save to new temporary file and use os.replace. Documentation states that it's an atomic operation.

[memsharded]

Just an idea. Make save to new temporary file and use os.replace. Documentation states that it's an atomic operation.

That is a good idea, many thanks. It might need to be applied to different save operations, at least those that save files on the cache (I wouldn't apply it to all save operations of files in user space). I'll suggest it for remotes.json saving and discuss with the team.

[memsharded]

#17588 made the saving of remotes.json transactional.
It will be in next Conan 2.12

[memsharded]

This has been implemented in #17514 for next Conan 2.12, thanks for the feedback (conan config clean command, and new clean APIs)