GNU bug report logs - #13693
M-x grep should do some basic parameter checking

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

From: jidanni <at> jidanni.org
To: bug-gnu-emacs <at> gnu.org
Subject: M-x grep should do some basic parameter checking
Date: Tue, 12 Feb 2013 13:49:04 +0800

Why doesn't M-x grep check that it has been given at least two
parameters, else it is bound to fail, as
$ grep
$ grep pattern
won't get far without some file arguments.

Yes
$ grep pattern pattern #wrong
will still pass as that would look the same as
$ grep pattern file
etc. but the check would be better than nothing.

Message #8 received at 13693 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Juri Linkov <juri <at> jurta.org>
To: jidanni <at> jidanni.org
Cc: 13693 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#13693: M-x grep should do some basic parameter checking
Date: Tue, 12 Feb 2013 19:52:10 +0200

> Why doesn't M-x grep check that it has been given at least
> two parameters

Why two?  For example, for "git-grep pattern" just one is enough.

Message #11 received at 13693 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: jidanni <at> jidanni.org
To: juri <at> jurta.org
Cc: 13693 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#13693: M-x grep should do some basic parameter checking
Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2013 05:02:19 +0800

>>>>> "JL" == Juri Linkov <juri <at> jurta.org> writes:
>> Why doesn't M-x grep check that it has been given at least
>> two parameters

JL> Why two?  For example, for "git-grep pattern" just one is enough.

$ emacs
(grep "grep -nH -e love")
Will always fail. And the user will think "well, I can't find the love
letter she sent me, and thus can't find her address, so I will just give
up," when all along he just forgot to give the filename.

Whereas normally
$ grep love
would hang, waiting for input, so he would know that the relationship
still had a chance, and it was just emacs that was the reason the two
would have lost touch...

Message #14 received at 13693 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Juri Linkov <juri <at> jurta.org>
To: jidanni <at> jidanni.org
Cc: 13693 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#13693: M-x grep should do some basic parameter checking
Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2013 10:46:18 +0200

> $ emacs
> (grep "grep -nH -e love")
> Will always fail. And the user will think "well, I can't find the love
> letter she sent me, and thus can't find her address, so I will just give
> up," when all along he just forgot to give the filename.
>
> Whereas normally
> $ grep love
> would hang, waiting for input, so he would know that the relationship
> still had a chance, and it was just emacs that was the reason the two
> would have lost touch...

If you tend to forget the pattern or file argument there is a reliable grep
known as `M-x rgrep' that asks you what and where to search.

Message #17 received at 13693 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: jidanni <at> jidanni.org
To: juri <at> jurta.org
Cc: 13693 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#13693: M-x grep should do some basic parameter checking
Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2013 16:55:53 +0800

>>>>> "JL" == Juri Linkov <juri <at> jurta.org> writes:

JL> If you tend to forget the pattern or file argument there is a reliable grep
JL> known as `M-x rgrep' that asks you what and where to search.

Yes, I use that too.

And that is what is causing me to even remember less that M-x grep needs
more arguments when I use it !

Message #20 received at 13693 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Juri Linkov <juri <at> jurta.org>
To: jidanni <at> jidanni.org
Cc: 13693 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#13693: M-x grep should do some basic parameter checking
Date: Thu, 14 Feb 2013 11:23:23 +0200

> JL> If you tend to forget the pattern or file argument there is a reliable grep
> JL> known as `M-x rgrep' that asks you what and where to search.
>
> Yes, I use that too.
>
> And that is what is causing me to even remember less that M-x grep needs
> more arguments when I use it !

Then customize `grep-command' to something like "grep -nH -e pattern *"
that would remind you to replace the default search string "pattern"
and to replace "*" with actual file names to search.

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