GNU bug report logs - #22909
Manpage test(1): Obsolescent logical operators

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Message #5 received at submit <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Martin Gebert <Murphy.Gebert <at> gmx.de>
To: bug-coreutils <at> gnu.org
Subject: Manpage test(1): Obsolescent logical operators
Date: Fri, 4 Mar 2016 12:15:51 +0100

The -a and -o operators of test(1) have been marked obsolescent for a 
while now; see link below. However, while the HTML manual is updated, 
the current man page, still my primary source of reference, is missing a 
hint to that:

http://linux.die.net/man/1/test

See also

http://pubs.opengroup.org/onlinepubs/9699919799/utilities/test.html#tag_20_128_16 


Martin

Message #8 received at 22909 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Eric Blake <eblake <at> redhat.com>
To: Martin Gebert <Murphy.Gebert <at> gmx.de>, 22909 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#22909: Manpage test(1): Obsolescent logical operators
Date: Fri, 4 Mar 2016 09:41:11 -0700

[Message part 1 (text/plain, inline)]

On 03/04/2016 04:15 AM, Martin Gebert wrote:
> The -a and -o operators of test(1) have been marked obsolescent for a
> while now; see link below. However, while the HTML manual is updated,
> the current man page, still my primary source of reference, is missing a
> hint to that:
> 
> http://linux.die.net/man/1/test

We don't maintain that web page.  You'll have to file your bug report to
the owner of that site.

Meanwhile, you may want to start using man7.org, as a more up-to-date
version of the Linux man pages.

But you are absolutely right that our own '[ --help' (which is the
source for the Coreutils' man page, which in turn feeds those two web
sites) probably should be more vocal that -a and -o should be avoided.

-- 
Eric Blake   eblake redhat com    +1-919-301-3266
Libvirt virtualization library http://libvirt.org

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Message #11 received at 22909 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Eric Blake <eblake <at> redhat.com>
To: 22909 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: [PATCH] test: Document that -a and -o are undesirable
Date: Fri,  4 Mar 2016 09:55:53 -0700

POSIX recommends avoiding -a and -o, for good reason.
src/test.c (usage): Mention that inherent ambiguities exist with
binary -a and -o.
Problem reported by Martin Gebert in: http://bugs.gnu.org/22909
---
 src/test.c | 5 +++++
 1 file changed, 5 insertions(+)

diff --git a/src/test.c b/src/test.c
index 36817d2..bf31cf9 100644
--- a/src/test.c
+++ b/src/test.c
@@ -790,6 +790,11 @@ INTEGER may also be -l STRING, which evaluates to the length of STRING.\n\
 "), stdout);
       fputs (_("\
 \n\
+NOTE: Use of binary -a and -o create inherently ambiguous situations.  Use\n\
+'test EXPR1 && test EXPR2' or 'test EXPR1 || test EXPR2' instead.\n\
+"), stdout);
+      fputs (_("\
+\n\
 NOTE: [ honors the --help and --version options, but test does not.\n\
 test treats each of those as it treats any other nonempty STRING.\n\
 "), stdout);
-- 
2.5.0

Message #14 received at 22909 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Pádraig Brady <P <at> draigBrady.com>
To: Eric Blake <eblake <at> redhat.com>, 22909 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#22909: [PATCH] test: Document that -a and -o are undesirable
Date: Fri, 4 Mar 2016 09:12:59 -0800

On 04/03/16 08:55, Eric Blake wrote:
> POSIX recommends avoiding -a and -o, for good reason.
> src/test.c (usage): Mention that inherent ambiguities exist with
> binary -a and -o.
> Problem reported by Martin Gebert in: http://bugs.gnu.org/22909
> ---
>   src/test.c | 5 +++++
>   1 file changed, 5 insertions(+)
>
> diff --git a/src/test.c b/src/test.c
> index 36817d2..bf31cf9 100644
> --- a/src/test.c
> +++ b/src/test.c
> @@ -790,6 +790,11 @@ INTEGER may also be -l STRING, which evaluates to the length of STRING.\n\
>   "), stdout);
>         fputs (_("\
>   \n\
> +NOTE: Use of binary -a and -o create inherently ambiguous situations.  Use\n\
> +'test EXPR1 && test EXPR2' or 'test EXPR1 || test EXPR2' instead.\n\
> +"), stdout);
> +      fputs (_("\
> +\n\
>   NOTE: [ honors the --help and --version options, but test does not.\n\
>   test treats each of those as it treats any other nonempty STRING.\n\
>   "), stdout);
>

+1

thanks

Message #17 received at 22909 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Jim Meyering <jim <at> meyering.net>
To: Pádraig Brady <P <at> draigbrady.com>
Cc: 22909 <at> debbugs.gnu.org, Eric Blake <eblake <at> redhat.com>
Subject: Re: bug#22909: [PATCH] test: Document that -a and -o are undesirable
Date: Fri, 4 Mar 2016 09:50:07 -0800

On Fri, Mar 4, 2016 at 9:12 AM, Pádraig Brady <P <at> draigbrady.com> wrote:
> On 04/03/16 08:55, Eric Blake wrote:
...
>> +NOTE: Use of binary -a and -o create inherently ambiguous situations.

I like that, too. Thanks. One nit: s/create/creates/

Message #20 received at 22909 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Jim Meyering <jim <at> meyering.net>
To: Pádraig Brady <P <at> draigbrady.com>
Cc: 22909 <at> debbugs.gnu.org, Eric Blake <eblake <at> redhat.com>
Subject: Re: bug#22909: [PATCH] test: Document that -a and -o are undesirable
Date: Fri, 4 Mar 2016 09:51:15 -0800

On Fri, Mar 4, 2016 at 9:50 AM, Jim Meyering <jim <at> meyering.net> wrote:
> On Fri, Mar 4, 2016 at 9:12 AM, Pádraig Brady <P <at> draigbrady.com> wrote:
>> On 04/03/16 08:55, Eric Blake wrote:
> ...
>>> +NOTE: Use of binary -a and -o create inherently ambiguous situations.
>
> I like that, too. Thanks. One nit: s/create/creates/

Or perhaps better/shorter still:

  Binary -a and -o are inherently ambiguous.

Message #23 received at 22909 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Eric Blake <eblake <at> redhat.com>
To: Jim Meyering <jim <at> meyering.net>, Pádraig Brady
 <P <at> draigbrady.com>
Cc: 22909 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#22909: [PATCH] test: Document that -a and -o are undesirable
Date: Fri, 4 Mar 2016 11:43:05 -0700

[Message part 1 (text/plain, inline)]

On 03/04/2016 10:51 AM, Jim Meyering wrote:
> On Fri, Mar 4, 2016 at 9:50 AM, Jim Meyering <jim <at> meyering.net> wrote:
>> On Fri, Mar 4, 2016 at 9:12 AM, Pádraig Brady <P <at> draigbrady.com> wrote:
>>> On 04/03/16 08:55, Eric Blake wrote:
>> ...
>>>> +NOTE: Use of binary -a and -o create inherently ambiguous situations.
>>
>> I like that, too. Thanks. One nit: s/create/creates/
> 
> Or perhaps better/shorter still:
> 
>   Binary -a and -o are inherently ambiguous.

I like it; I'll push with that wording.

-- 
Eric Blake   eblake redhat com    +1-919-301-3266
Libvirt virtualization library http://libvirt.org

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Message #26 received at 22909 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Assaf Gordon <assafgordon <at> gmail.com>
To: 22909 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#22909: [PATCH] test: Document that -a and -o are undesirable
Date: Thu, 25 Oct 2018 10:04:42 -0600

tags 22909 fixed
close 22909
stop

(triaging old bugs)

On Fri, Mar 04, 2016 at 11:43:05AM -0700, Eric Blake wrote:
> On 03/04/2016 10:51 AM, Jim Meyering wrote:
> > On Fri, Mar 4, 2016 at 9:50 AM, Jim Meyering <jim <at> meyering.net> wrote:
> >> On Fri, Mar 4, 2016 at 9:12 AM, Pádraig Brady <P <at> draigbrady.com> wrote:
> >>> On 04/03/16 08:55, Eric Blake wrote:
> >> ...
> >>>> +NOTE: Use of binary -a and -o create inherently ambiguous situations.
> >>
> 
> I like it; I'll push with that wording.
> 

pushed here:
https://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/coreutils.git/commit/?id=6475c514550bc1fbdb3410485312211726765798

So closing as "fixed".

-assaf

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