In codegen we (transitively) use env::temp_dir() for some temporary files. If you unset (or provide a value that is not a writable directory) all three TMP, TEMP, USERPROFILE env vars (such as by calling Command::env_clear on some cargo invocation) on Windows, then env::temp_dir() can return the Windows directory which is often not writable.
This is documented in GetTempPath2W, but it might be worth a remark on the docs for env::temp_dir and Command::env_clear that modifying or unsetting TMP, TEMP and USERPROFILE can influence the result of env::temp_dir on Windows.
It is already pointed out that env::temp_dir returns value of TMPDIR on Linux.
A more general remark to add is that std does not check the returned path in any way. On any platform there's always the risk it might not be writeable by the current application. It might not even exist.
Location
std::env::temp_dir
std::process::Command::env_clear
Summary
Encountered in https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/pull/122580#issuecomment-2125755689.
In codegen we (transitively) use
env::temp_dir()
for some temporary files. If you unset (or provide a value that is not a writable directory) all threeTMP
,TEMP
,USERPROFILE
env vars (such as by callingCommand::env_clear
on some cargo invocation) on Windows, thenenv::temp_dir()
can return the Windows directory which is often not writable.This is documented in
GetTempPath2W
, but it might be worth a remark on the docs forenv::temp_dir
andCommand::env_clear
that modifying or unsettingTMP
,TEMP
andUSERPROFILE
can influence the result ofenv::temp_dir
on Windows.It is already pointed out that
env::temp_dir
returns value ofTMPDIR
on Linux.