Subject: bug#11730: bug in expr

From: Ondrej Vasik <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 17 Jun 2012 22:50:40 +0200

On Sun, 2012-06-17 at 23:52 +0530, puneeth poduri wrote:
> 11730
Hi,

> i use the following linux distro
> Linux <system name>.home 2.6.43.5-2.fc15.i686 #1 SMP Tue May 8
12:07:12 UTC
> 2012 i686 i686 i386 GNU/Linux
> 
Version of coreutils (or package you are reporting bug against) is
usually more helpful than the version of the Linux kernel and
architecture.

> 
> $ expr 1 + 1
> 2
> $ expr 1 * 1
> expr: syntax error
> $ _
> 
> 
> sorry if it was my mis-understanding of the manual.
> 
This is really your misunderstanding of the shell behaviour. "*"
character is special, it gets expanded by the shell. As this is quite
common misunderstanding, it is part of GNU coreutils FAQ.
http://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/faq/coreutils-faq.html#expr-2-_002a-3-does-not-work

Please consider reading this faq, it might save you from other common
misunderstanding in the future.

Greetings,
         Ondrej Vasik