GNU bug report logs - #52077
tail: a case where -n is not taken as implicit

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Package: coreutils;

Reported by: Shehu Dikko <news.shehu <at> gmx.net>

Date: Wed, 24 Nov 2021 11:25:01 UTC

Severity: normal

Tags: notabug

Found in version 9.0

Done: Pádraig Brady <P <at> draigBrady.com>

Bug is archived. No further changes may be made.

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Report forwarded to news.shehu <at> gmx.net, bug-coreutils <at> gnu.org:
bug#52077; Package coreutils. (Wed, 24 Nov 2021 11:25:01 GMT) Full text and rfc822 format available.

Acknowledgement sent to Shehu Dikko <news.shehu <at> gmx.net>:
New bug report received and forwarded. Copy sent to news.shehu <at> gmx.net, bug-coreutils <at> gnu.org. (Wed, 24 Nov 2021 11:25:01 GMT) Full text and rfc822 format available.

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

From: Shehu Dikko <news.shehu <at> gmx.net>
To: submit <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: tail: a case where -n is not taken as implicit
Date: Wed, 24 Nov 2021 08:38:25 +0100
Package: coreutils
Version: 9.0

Do please take a look at this example:

% printf '%s\n' just three lines | tee >f1 f2
% tail -n1 f1
lines
% tail -n1 f*
==> f1 <==
lines

==> f2 <==
lines
% tail -1 f1
lines
% tail -1 f*
tail: option used in invalid context -- 1
% tail --version | head -1
tail (GNU coreutils) 9.0

Note that with head and busybox tail, the outputs are unsurprising:

% head -1 f*
==> f1 <==
just

==> f2 <==
just
% head --version | head -1
head (GNU coreutils) 9.0
% busybox tail -1 f*
==> f1 <==
lines

==> f2 <==
lines
%
% uname -v
#1 SMP Debian 4.19.194-3 (2021-07-18)

regards,

s h e h u




Information forwarded to bug-coreutils <at> gnu.org:
bug#52077; Package coreutils. (Wed, 24 Nov 2021 15:57:02 GMT) Full text and rfc822 format available.

Message #8 received at 52077 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Pádraig Brady <P <at> draigBrady.com>
To: Shehu Dikko <news.shehu <at> gmx.net>, 52077 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#52077: tail: a case where -n is not taken as implicit
Date: Wed, 24 Nov 2021 15:56:12 +0000
tag 52077 notabug
close 52077
stop

On 24/11/2021 07:38, Shehu Dikko wrote:
> Package: coreutils
> Version: 9.0
> 
> Do please take a look at this example:
> 
> % printf '%s\n' just three lines | tee >f1 f2
> % tail -n1 f1
> lines
> % tail -n1 f*
> ==> f1 <==
> lines
> 
> ==> f2 <==
> lines
> % tail -1 f1
> lines
> % tail -1 f*
> tail: option used in invalid context -- 1
> % tail --version | head -1
> tail (GNU coreutils) 9.0
> 
> Note that with head and busybox tail, the outputs are unsurprising:
> 
> % head -1 f*
> ==> f1 <==
> just
> 
> ==> f2 <==
> just
> % head --version | head -1
> head (GNU coreutils) 9.0
> % busybox tail -1 f*
> ==> f1 <==
> lines
> 
> ==> f2 <==
> lines
> %
> % uname -v
> #1 SMP Debian 4.19.194-3 (2021-07-18)

The compat for that older syntax is not extended to multiple files.
From the info docs:

  For compatibility ‘tail’ also supports an obsolete usage ‘tail
  -[NUM][bcl][f] [FILE]’, which is recognized only if it does not conflict
  with the usage described above.  This obsolete form uses exactly one
  option and at most one file.

cheers,
Pádraig




Added tag(s) notabug. Request was from Pádraig Brady <P <at> draigBrady.com> to control <at> debbugs.gnu.org. (Wed, 24 Nov 2021 15:57:02 GMT) Full text and rfc822 format available.

bug closed, send any further explanations to 52077 <at> debbugs.gnu.org and Shehu Dikko <news.shehu <at> gmx.net> Request was from Pádraig Brady <P <at> draigBrady.com> to control <at> debbugs.gnu.org. (Wed, 24 Nov 2021 15:57:02 GMT) Full text and rfc822 format available.

bug archived. Request was from Debbugs Internal Request <help-debbugs <at> gnu.org> to internal_control <at> debbugs.gnu.org. (Thu, 23 Dec 2021 12:24:08 GMT) Full text and rfc822 format available.

This bug report was last modified 2 years and 86 days ago.

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