GNU bug report logs - #13295
Possible bug - tr utility

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

From: "Killen, Randy" <rkillen <at> frk.com>
To: "bug-coreutils <at> gnu.org" <bug-coreutils <at> gnu.org>
Subject: Possible bug - tr utility
Date: Fri, 28 Dec 2012 17:37:18 +0000

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

Hello -

I encountered the situation shown below so thought that I would report it to see if it might be a bug or is expected behavior.  Please let me know if you need additional information.

Randy


$
$ echo something | tr [:lower:] [:upper:]
SOMETHING
$ echo something | tr '[:lower:]' '[:upper:]'
SOMETHING
$
$ touch l
$ echo something | tr [:lower:] [:upper:]
tr: misaligned [:upper:] and/or [:lower:] construct
$ echo something | tr '[:lower:]' '[:upper:]'
SOMETHING
$ rm l
$
$ touch u
$ echo something | tr [:lower:] [:upper:]
tr: misaligned [:upper:] and/or [:lower:] construct
$ echo something | tr '[:lower:]' '[:upper:]'
SOMETHING
$ rm u
$
$ touch l
$ touch u
$ echo something | tr [:lower:] [:upper:]
something
$ echo something | tr '[:lower:]' '[:upper:]'
SOMETHING
$ rm l
$ rm u
$
$
$ uname -srvo
Linux 2.6.18-274.18.1.0.1.el5 #1 SMP Thu Feb 9 19:07:16 EST 2012 GNU/Linux
$ echo $SHELL
/bin/bash
$
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[Message part 2 (text/html, inline)]

Message #8 received at 13295 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Erik Auerswald <auerswal <at> unix-ag.uni-kl.de>
To: rkillen <at> frk.com, 13295 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#13295: Possible bug - tr utility
Date: Sat, 29 Dec 2012 00:46:51 +0100

Hi Randy,

On 12/28/2012 06:37 PM, Killen, Randy wrote:
> Hello -
>
> I encountered the situation shown below so thought that I would report it to see if it might be a bug or is expected behavior.  Please let me know if you need additional information.
>
> Randy
>
>
> $
> $ echo something | tr [:lower:] [:upper:]
> SOMETHING
> $ echo something | tr '[:lower:]' '[:upper:]'
> SOMETHING
> $
> $ touch l
> $ echo something | tr [:lower:] [:upper:]
> tr: misaligned [:upper:] and/or [:lower:] construct
> $ echo something | tr '[:lower:]' '[:upper:]'
> SOMETHING
> $ rm l
> $
> $ touch u
> $ echo something | tr [:lower:] [:upper:]
> tr: misaligned [:upper:] and/or [:lower:] construct
> $ echo something | tr '[:lower:]' '[:upper:]'
> SOMETHING
> $ rm u
> $
> $ touch l
> $ touch u
> $ echo something | tr [:lower:] [:upper:]
> something
> $ echo something | tr '[:lower:]' '[:upper:]'
> SOMETHING
> $ rm l
> $ rm u

This is expected behavior, caused by lack of quoting that results in the 
shell (Bash) interpreting [...] as a wildcard pattern for file name 
globbing (see glob(7)). If the 'nullglob' option of the shell is 
disabled (use 'shopt nullglob' to display the current setting), a 
wildcard that matches no files is kept as is. Thus the wildcards 
[:lower:] and [:upper:] are either replaced by l resp. u if one of those 
files exist or kept, if no matching file exists.

Quoting the special characters '[' and ']' by using '[:lower:]' resp. 
'[:upper:]' (including the quotes) inhibits the shell from interpreting 
them as file globbing wildcards. Therefore, you should always quote 
character classes that are meant as arguments to a program.

HTH
Erik

Message #11 received at 13295 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: "Killen, Randy" <rkillen <at> frk.com>
To: Erik Auerswald <auerswal <at> unix-ag.uni-kl.de>, "13295 <at> debbugs.gnu.org"
	<13295 <at> debbugs.gnu.org>
Subject: RE: bug#13295: Possible bug - tr utility
Date: Fri, 28 Dec 2012 23:48:58 +0000

Thanks Erik. That does help.

Randy

-----Original Message-----
From: Erik Auerswald [mailto:auerswal <at> unix-ag.uni-kl.de] 
Sent: Friday, December 28, 2012 3:47 PM
To: Killen, Randy; 13295 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#13295: Possible bug - tr utility

Hi Randy,

On 12/28/2012 06:37 PM, Killen, Randy wrote:
> Hello -
>
> I encountered the situation shown below so thought that I would report it to see if it might be a bug or is expected behavior.  Please let me know if you need additional information.
>
> Randy
>
>
> $
> $ echo something | tr [:lower:] [:upper:] SOMETHING $ echo something | 
> tr '[:lower:]' '[:upper:]'
> SOMETHING
> $
> $ touch l
> $ echo something | tr [:lower:] [:upper:]
> tr: misaligned [:upper:] and/or [:lower:] construct $ echo something | 
> tr '[:lower:]' '[:upper:]'
> SOMETHING
> $ rm l
> $
> $ touch u
> $ echo something | tr [:lower:] [:upper:]
> tr: misaligned [:upper:] and/or [:lower:] construct $ echo something | 
> tr '[:lower:]' '[:upper:]'
> SOMETHING
> $ rm u
> $
> $ touch l
> $ touch u
> $ echo something | tr [:lower:] [:upper:] something $ echo something | 
> tr '[:lower:]' '[:upper:]'
> SOMETHING
> $ rm l
> $ rm u

This is expected behavior, caused by lack of quoting that results in the shell (Bash) interpreting [...] as a wildcard pattern for file name globbing (see glob(7)). If the 'nullglob' option of the shell is disabled (use 'shopt nullglob' to display the current setting), a wildcard that matches no files is kept as is. Thus the wildcards [:lower:] and [:upper:] are either replaced by l resp. u if one of those files exist or kept, if no matching file exists.

Quoting the special characters '[' and ']' by using '[:lower:]' resp. 
'[:upper:]' (including the quotes) inhibits the shell from interpreting them as file globbing wildcards. Therefore, you should always quote character classes that are meant as arguments to a program.

HTH
Erik
Notice:  All email and instant messages (including attachments) sent to
or from Franklin Templeton Investments (FTI) personnel may be retained,
monitored and/or reviewed by FTI and its agents, or authorized
law enforcement personnel, without further notice or consent.

Message #16 received at 13295-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Paul Eggert <eggert <at> cs.ucla.edu>
To: "Killen, Randy" <rkillen <at> frk.com>
Cc: 13295-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#13295: Possible bug - tr utility
Date: Sat, 29 Dec 2012 00:25:23 -0800

Closing the bug, then....

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