GNU bug report logs - #76453
3.11 critical bug: diff -Naur a b does not show a unified diff when one of the file is empty

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Package: diffutils;

Reported by: Kate Deplaix <kit-ty-kate <at> outlook.com>

Date: Fri, 21 Feb 2025 04:48:07 UTC

Severity: normal

Merged with 76452, 76454

Found in version 3.11

Done: Paul Eggert <eggert <at> cs.ucla.edu>

Bug is archived. No further changes may be made.

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Report forwarded to bug-diffutils <at> gnu.org:
bug#76453; Package diffutils. (Fri, 21 Feb 2025 04:48:08 GMT) Full text and rfc822 format available.
Acknowledgement sent to Kate Deplaix <kit-ty-kate <at> outlook.com>:
New bug report received and forwarded. Copy sent to bug-diffutils <at> gnu.org. (Fri, 21 Feb 2025 04:48:08 GMT) Full text and rfc822 format available.

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

From: Kate Deplaix <kit-ty-kate <at> outlook.com>
To: "bug-diffutils <at> gnu.org" <bug-diffutils <at> gnu.org>
Subject: Re: 3.11 critical bug: diff -Naur a b does not show a unified diff
 when one of the file is empty
Date: Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:40 +0000

[Message part 1 (text/plain, inline)]
Sending this again as a reply in case subscribing to the mailing-list was required to have it accepted.
________________________________
From: Kate Deplaix
Sent: 20 February 2025 15:25
To: bug-diffutils <at> gnu.org <bug-diffutils <at> gnu.org>
Subject: 3.11 critical bug: diff -Naur a b does not show a unified diff when one of the file is empty

Hi,

While using diffutils 3.11 instead of 3.10, i've noticed a critical bug in diff reproducible with the following setup:

$ cd /tmp
$ mkdir a b
$ touch a/test
$ echo content > b/test

With diffutils 3.10, "diff -Naur a b" returns:

diff -Naur a/test b/test
--- a/test   2025-02-20 14:50:07.870258052 +0000
+++ b/test   2025-02-20 14:50:18.957287641 +0000
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+content

but with diffutils 3.11, the same command returns:

File a/test is a regular empty file while file b/test is a regular file

Given no mention of this change appear in the changelog, i'm guessing this is an unintended change. In my opinion this bug is critical and the 3.11 release should be marked as broken to avoid more distributions using it.

Warm regards,
Kate Deplaix

[Message part 2 (text/html, inline)]
bug closed, send any further explanations to 76453 <at> debbugs.gnu.org and Kate Deplaix <kit-ty-kate <at> outlook.com> Request was from Paul Eggert <eggert <at> cs.ucla.edu> to control <at> debbugs.gnu.org. (Mon, 24 Mar 2025 23:19:03 GMT) Full text and rfc822 format available.
Merged 76452 76453 76454. Request was from Paul Eggert <eggert <at> cs.ucla.edu> to control <at> debbugs.gnu.org. (Mon, 24 Mar 2025 23:19:04 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. (Tue, 22 Apr 2025 11:24:13 GMT) Full text and rfc822 format available.
This bug report was last modified 16 days ago.

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