GNU bug report logs - #10976
bugreport tail (GNU coreutils) 5.97

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From: help-debbugs <at> gnu.org (GNU bug Tracking System)
To: Streit Andreas <streit <at> heidenhain.de>
Subject: bug#10976: closed (Re: bug#10976: bugreport tail (GNU coreutils)
 5.97)
Date: Fri, 09 Mar 2012 17:58:03 +0000

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Your bug report

#10976: bugreport tail (GNU coreutils) 5.97

which was filed against the coreutils package, has been closed.

The explanation is attached below, along with your original report.
If you require more details, please reply to 10976 <at> debbugs.gnu.org.

-- 
10976: http://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi/bugreport.cgi?bug=10976
GNU Bug Tracking System
Contact help-debbugs <at> gnu.org with problems

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From: Eric Blake <eblake <at> redhat.com>
To: Streit Andreas <streit <at> heidenhain.de>
Cc: 10976-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#10976: bugreport tail (GNU coreutils) 5.97
Date: Fri, 09 Mar 2012 10:56:22 -0700

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tag 10976 notabug
thanks

On 03/09/2012 12:47 AM, Streit Andreas wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> i just tried the following command with more than one file:
> 
> tail -50 files_*.txt
> i get an error:
> tail: invalid option -- 5
> Try `tail --help' for more information.

Thanks for the report.  However, this behavior is intentional.  POSIX
says that you should be using -n50, and that while implementations may
support -50 as an extension, it is not a requirement.  Your usage is
non-portable, and coreutils is alerting you to the fact.

Per 'info tail',

>>    For compatibility `tail' also supports an obsolete usage `tail
>> -[COUNT][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.  In the option, COUNT is an
>> optional decimal number optionally followed by a size letter (`b', `c',
>> `l') to mean count by 512-byte blocks, bytes, or lines, optionally
>> followed by `f' which has the same meaning as `-f'.
>> 
>>    On older systems, the leading `-' can be replaced by `+' in the
>> obsolete option syntax with the same meaning as in counts, and obsolete
>> usage overrides normal usage when the two conflict.  This obsolete
>> behavior can be enabled or disabled with the `_POSIX2_VERSION'
>> environment variable (*note Standards conformance::).

> If i try the same command with only one file it works properly:
> tail -50 files.txt

Yes, this is an example of the obsolete usage.

> 
> If i try the modified command with more than one file it works properly:
> tail --lines=50 files_*.txt

Yes, this is the preferred style (simplified to -n).

Since the behavior is intentional, I'm closing this as not a bug.

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

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From: Streit Andreas <streit <at> heidenhain.de>
To: "bug-coreutils <at> gnu.org" <bug-coreutils <at> gnu.org>
Subject: bugreport tail (GNU coreutils) 5.97
Date: Fri, 9 Mar 2012 08:47:08 +0100

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Hi,

i just tried the following command with more than one file:

tail -50 files_*.txt
i get an error:
tail: invalid option -- 5
Try `tail --help' for more information.

If i try the same command with only one file it works properly:
tail -50 files.txt

If i try the modified command with more than one file it works properly:
tail --lines=50 files_*.txt


regards

Andreas



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