[TxMt] Permissions problem with CLI mate...

[Andrew Farley]

Hey guys, I use textmate a LOT on OS-X Leopard 1.5.6 as my main CLI  
text editor via .bash_profile and I edit a lot of files from my  
computer with textmate.  But I have issues with permissions when  
trying to "mate" files which my user does not have permissions to  
read.  Even if I "sudo mate".  Textmate pretends it opened this file  
but the file is empty, and when you save it it will ask for  
administrative privileges to do so.

Steps to reproduce:
$ echo "this is a test" > testfile
$ sudo chown root testfile
$ sudo chmod 700 testfile
$ sudo mate testfile

Result:
Textmate opens a window called "testfile" but shows nothing in this  
file.  If you edit this file and hit save, a window pops up which asks  
for your credentials to save over this file.

Expected result:
#1 - preferred: uses the above "sudo" permission to pass into and/or  
launch textmate under for editing of this file.  Which would allow  
opening and saving of this file without requiring re-entry of  
credentials (annoying).
#2 - secondary/temporary alternative: upon failing opening a file  
(like what's happening here) asking the user for credentials which  
would allow opening the file.  If this fails, do not open the window  
because clearly, you don't have permissions for this file anyway, you  
shouldn't have an editor window open for it.  If their credentials  
succeed, use the "open" permission for saving also.

Anyone have a workaround for this, or any ideas?  The contact area  
said to post here first.  I googled a bit and didn't find anything so  
I'm starting here.

Cheers!

  - Andrew