From unknown Mon Jun 23 09:40:58 2025 X-Loop: help-debbugs@gnu.org Subject: bug#18648: rm -f with no file operands fails on old BSD systems Resent-From: Richard Hansen Original-Sender: "Debbugs-submit" Resent-CC: bug-automake@gnu.org Resent-Date: Tue, 07 Oct 2014 02:53:01 +0000 Resent-Message-ID: Resent-Sender: help-debbugs@gnu.org X-GNU-PR-Message: report 18648 X-GNU-PR-Package: automake X-GNU-PR-Keywords: To: 18648@debbugs.gnu.org, austin-group-l@opengroup.org X-Debbugs-Original-To: bug-automake@gnu.org, austin-group-l Received: via spool by submit@debbugs.gnu.org id=B.141265033127690 (code B ref -1); Tue, 07 Oct 2014 02:53:01 +0000 Received: (at submit) by debbugs.gnu.org; 7 Oct 2014 02:52:11 +0000 Received: from localhost ([127.0.0.1]:36084 helo=debbugs.gnu.org) by debbugs.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.80) (envelope-from ) id 1XbKsk-0007CY-Ft for submit@debbugs.gnu.org; Mon, 06 Oct 2014 22:52:11 -0400 Received: from eggs.gnu.org ([208.118.235.92]:43075) by debbugs.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.80) (envelope-from ) id 1XbKsf-0007CL-89 for submit@debbugs.gnu.org; Mon, 06 Oct 2014 22:52:08 -0400 Received: from Debian-exim by eggs.gnu.org with spam-scanned (Exim 4.71) (envelope-from ) id 1XbKsa-0005px-LM for submit@debbugs.gnu.org; Mon, 06 Oct 2014 22:52:05 -0400 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.3.2 (2011-06-06) on eggs.gnu.org X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=0.8 required=5.0 tests=BAYES_50 autolearn=disabled version=3.3.2 Received: from lists.gnu.org ([2001:4830:134:3::11]:44684) by eggs.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.71) (envelope-from ) id 1XbKsa-0005ps-IT for submit@debbugs.gnu.org; Mon, 06 Oct 2014 22:52:00 -0400 Received: from eggs.gnu.org ([2001:4830:134:3::10]:44778) by lists.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.71) (envelope-from ) id 1XbKsV-0007wf-JR for bug-automake@gnu.org; Mon, 06 Oct 2014 22:52:00 -0400 Received: from Debian-exim by eggs.gnu.org with spam-scanned (Exim 4.71) (envelope-from ) id 1XbKsQ-0005oO-WA for bug-automake@gnu.org; Mon, 06 Oct 2014 22:51:55 -0400 Received: from smtp.bbn.com ([128.33.1.81]:56996) by eggs.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.71) (envelope-from ) id 1XbKsQ-0005lz-SN for bug-automake@gnu.org; Mon, 06 Oct 2014 22:51:50 -0400 Received: from socket.bbn.com ([192.1.120.102]:51418) by smtp.bbn.com with esmtps (TLSv1:AES256-SHA:256) (Exim 4.77 (FreeBSD)) (envelope-from ) id 1XbKsb-000NjT-Kn; Mon, 06 Oct 2014 22:52:01 -0400 X-Submitted: to socket.bbn.com (Postfix) with ESMTPSA id 584473FFA3 Message-ID: <54335541.9000602@bbn.com> Date: Mon, 06 Oct 2014 22:51:45 -0400 From: Richard Hansen User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (X11; Linux x86_64; rv:31.0) Gecko/20100101 Thunderbird/31.1.2 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable X-detected-operating-system: by eggs.gnu.org: FreeBSD 8.x X-detected-operating-system: by eggs.gnu.org: Error: Malformed IPv6 address (bad octet value). X-Received-From: 2001:4830:134:3::11 X-Spam-Score: -4.1 (----) X-BeenThere: debbugs-submit@debbugs.gnu.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.15 Precedence: list List-Id: List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Errors-To: debbugs-submit-bounces@debbugs.gnu.org Sender: "Debbugs-submit" X-Spam-Score: -4.1 (----) Hi all, A friend reported this to me: > $ ./configure > ... > usage: rm [-f|-i] [-dPRrvW] file ... > Oops! >=20 > Your 'rm' program seems unable to run without file operands specified > on the command line, even when the '-f' option is present. This is con= trary > to the behaviour of most rm programs out there, and not conforming with > the upcoming POSIX standard: >=20 > Please tell bug-automake@gnu.org about your system, including the value > of your $PATH and any error possibly output before this message. This > can help us improve future automake versions. >=20 > Aborting the configuration process, to ensure you take notice of the is= sue. >=20 > You can download and install GNU coreutils to get an 'rm' implementatio= n > that behaves properly: . >=20 > If you want to complete the configuration process using your problemati= c > 'rm' anyway, export the environment variable ACCEPT_INFERIOR_RM_PROGRAM > to "yes", and re-run configure. >=20 > configure: error: Your 'rm' program is bad, sorry. > $ uname -a > NetBSD example.com 4.0_STABLE NetBSD 4.0_STABLE (GENERIC) #4: Wed Mar 1= 4 13:59:06 EDT 2012 root@example.com:/usr/obj/sparc/sys/arch/sparc/compi= le/GENERIC sparc > $ /bin/rm -f > usage: rm [-f|-i] [-dPRrvW] file ... > $ echo $? > 1 Digging around in various CVS/Subversion repositories, it looks like there are many old (but perhaps not yet museum-worthy) *BSD versions that behave this way: * NetBSD 4.x and older (5.0 released April 2009). see: [1] [2] * FreeBSD 3.1.x and older (3.2 released May 1999). see: [3] [4] * OpenBSD 2.x and older (3.0 released Dec 2001). see [5] Given this, I wonder if POSIX bug #542 [6] should be revisited. Perhaps that bug should change the wording to "unspecified" for Issue 7 TC2, and we can file a new bug report to adopt the wording currently in #542 for Issue 8. Thoughts? Thanks, Richard [1] http://cvsweb.netbsd.org/bsdweb.cgi/src/bin/rm/rm.c#rev1.47 [2] http://gnats.netbsd.org/cgi-bin/query-pr-single.pl?number=3D38754 [3] https://svnweb.freebsd.org/base?view=3Drevision&revision=3D44282 [4] https://bugs.freebsd.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=3D10252 [5] http://cvsweb.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/cvsweb/src/bin/rm/rm.c#rev1.10 [6] http://austingroupbugs.net/view.php?id=3D542 From unknown Mon Jun 23 09:40:58 2025 X-Loop: help-debbugs@gnu.org Subject: bug#18648: rm -f with no file operands fails on old BSD systems Resent-From: Philip Guenther Original-Sender: "Debbugs-submit" Resent-CC: bug-automake@gnu.org Resent-Date: Tue, 07 Oct 2014 03:01:02 +0000 Resent-Message-ID: Resent-Sender: help-debbugs@gnu.org X-GNU-PR-Message: followup 18648 X-GNU-PR-Package: automake X-GNU-PR-Keywords: To: Richard Hansen Cc: 18648@debbugs.gnu.org, austin-group-l@opengroup.org X-Debbugs-Original-Cc: bug-automake@gnu.org, austin-group-l Received: via spool by submit@debbugs.gnu.org id=B.141265082028489 (code B ref -1); Tue, 07 Oct 2014 03:01:02 +0000 Received: (at submit) by debbugs.gnu.org; 7 Oct 2014 03:00:20 +0000 Received: from localhost ([127.0.0.1]:36090 helo=debbugs.gnu.org) by debbugs.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.80) (envelope-from ) id 1XbL0e-0007PQ-3h for submit@debbugs.gnu.org; Mon, 06 Oct 2014 23:00:20 -0400 Received: from eggs.gnu.org ([208.118.235.92]:44212) by debbugs.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.80) (envelope-from ) id 1XbL0a-0007PF-SP for submit@debbugs.gnu.org; Mon, 06 Oct 2014 23:00:17 -0400 Received: from Debian-exim by eggs.gnu.org with spam-scanned (Exim 4.71) (envelope-from ) id 1XbL0Z-000052-RX for submit@debbugs.gnu.org; Mon, 06 Oct 2014 23:00:16 -0400 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.3.2 (2011-06-06) on eggs.gnu.org X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=0.8 required=5.0 tests=BAYES_50,FREEMAIL_FROM, T_DKIM_INVALID autolearn=disabled version=3.3.2 Received: from lists.gnu.org ([2001:4830:134:3::11]:52188) by eggs.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.71) (envelope-from ) id 1XbL0Z-00004v-P1 for submit@debbugs.gnu.org; Mon, 06 Oct 2014 23:00:15 -0400 Received: from eggs.gnu.org ([2001:4830:134:3::10]:45918) by lists.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.71) (envelope-from ) id 1XbL0Y-0000Es-IZ for bug-automake@gnu.org; Mon, 06 Oct 2014 23:00:15 -0400 Received: from Debian-exim by eggs.gnu.org with spam-scanned (Exim 4.71) (envelope-from ) id 1XbL0X-0008Vv-Nk for bug-automake@gnu.org; Mon, 06 Oct 2014 23:00:14 -0400 Received: from mail-ig0-x22c.google.com ([2607:f8b0:4001:c05::22c]:49369) by eggs.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.71) (envelope-from ) id 1XbL0X-0008Vn-JT for bug-automake@gnu.org; Mon, 06 Oct 2014 23:00:13 -0400 Received: by mail-ig0-f172.google.com with SMTP id r2so3528867igi.5 for ; Mon, 06 Oct 2014 20:00:12 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20120113; h=mime-version:in-reply-to:references:date:message-id:subject:from:to :cc:content-type; bh=8WfHVso+1Os0d9ZmITqBg6JkCinxxqTr8G8FXWyudyI=; b=URKfwHa9e6KpMQCxGyjm+rDTx7B7GzXNvoJ9atbnL6ayOFQYoOVufwB52+bhwx0/IU useR8p+UWm5JjW0vAwoCKRDJr+okiQgOovheggTpGYHbUgiVABlpbyU8krR756BbkTA+ pOrFzra+8jaLKA5UPy055dBfhi6CSg9ORob1ToT5amtJwdg+qIhBqqdMTw5sBNbJ21Fo lNvrzFA4pSNHg5+p7Ug/0H/Qn9w/ZRIpLlqKttroTTfz4wYMW5OXmvcy7KBSAM4DcOuB Izc0RY2WvT8n7xQKZu3WMNW5AZ0dQYoFtkObURvThCpxNCClFS9x6R1t70Oke43TROmA 6gMw== MIME-Version: 1.0 X-Received: by 10.42.233.75 with SMTP id jx11mr929724icb.22.1412650812248; Mon, 06 Oct 2014 20:00:12 -0700 (PDT) Received: by 10.64.106.72 with HTTP; Mon, 6 Oct 2014 20:00:12 -0700 (PDT) In-Reply-To: <54335541.9000602@bbn.com> References: <54335541.9000602@bbn.com> Date: Mon, 6 Oct 2014 20:00:12 -0700 Message-ID: From: Philip Guenther Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 X-detected-operating-system: by eggs.gnu.org: Error: Malformed IPv6 address (bad octet value). X-detected-operating-system: by eggs.gnu.org: Error: Malformed IPv6 address (bad octet value). X-Received-From: 2001:4830:134:3::11 X-Spam-Score: -4.0 (----) X-BeenThere: debbugs-submit@debbugs.gnu.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.15 Precedence: list List-Id: List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Errors-To: debbugs-submit-bounces@debbugs.gnu.org Sender: "Debbugs-submit" X-Spam-Score: -4.0 (----) On Mon, Oct 6, 2014 at 7:51 PM, Richard Hansen wrote: ... > Digging around in various CVS/Subversion repositories, it looks like > there are many old (but perhaps not yet museum-worthy) *BSD versions > that behave this way: > > * NetBSD 4.x and older (5.0 released April 2009). see: [1] [2] > * FreeBSD 3.1.x and older (3.2 released May 1999). see: [3] [4] > * OpenBSD 2.x and older (3.0 released Dec 2001). see [5] Speaking on behalf of the OpenBSD project: OpenBSD 2.x should be considered dead, buried, rotted, and worthy of derision. History is history: useful to study, but if you try to live there you will die of horrific diseases. Do not hold up progress on the basis that you'll trip over a 12+ year old release. Philip Guenther guenther@openbsd.org From unknown Mon Jun 23 09:40:58 2025 X-Loop: help-debbugs@gnu.org Subject: bug#18648: rm -f with no file operands fails on old BSD systems Resent-From: Stefano Lattarini Original-Sender: "Debbugs-submit" Resent-CC: bug-automake@gnu.org Resent-Date: Wed, 17 Dec 2014 10:35:02 +0000 Resent-Message-ID: Resent-Sender: help-debbugs@gnu.org X-GNU-PR-Message: followup 18648 X-GNU-PR-Package: automake X-GNU-PR-Keywords: To: Philip Guenther , Richard Hansen Cc: 18648@debbugs.gnu.org, austin-group-l@opengroup.org Received: via spool by 18648-submit@debbugs.gnu.org id=B18648.141881247716430 (code B ref 18648); Wed, 17 Dec 2014 10:35:02 +0000 Received: (at 18648) by debbugs.gnu.org; 17 Dec 2014 10:34:37 +0000 Received: from localhost ([127.0.0.1]:48465 helo=debbugs.gnu.org) by debbugs.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.80) (envelope-from ) id 1Y1Bw9-0004Go-Mj for submit@debbugs.gnu.org; Wed, 17 Dec 2014 05:34:37 -0500 Received: from mail-wi0-f175.google.com ([209.85.212.175]:41453) by debbugs.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.80) (envelope-from ) id 1Y1Bvz-0004GR-P6; Wed, 17 Dec 2014 05:34:27 -0500 Received: by mail-wi0-f175.google.com with SMTP id l15so15219411wiw.8; Wed, 17 Dec 2014 02:34:23 -0800 (PST) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20120113; h=message-id:date:from:mime-version:to:cc:subject:references :in-reply-to:content-type:content-transfer-encoding; bh=8aHB/exuj1tcKoGx3EWGp3xJX4XVXE1uHxtfKFQI/dc=; b=VgrJI+0RcLM8xjvIoVuIe10QxV+GCee2O4COLixOm3mwpMNnm1ibjvOrHfqhoeunyV 2ZucvjI+6tQDXUTgjcib3k6pNHnNfUEv++zooNGgZgepUH4imnXb4aMCbkg/PtdC1fz/ fr1Y9zBnxjWxo2f3BRfpNvv6Pym8Xp+lFJV1EayVA9/5M4ETybIS5ZTQ5klQ6DcFPODv B6qncrjBFfABmvtw5OcoiT0W8Mj7mLg0/6sw9KMDrEQErx3DU5SOt9P4lN2qfm4DAsZV l8KDqrMgyr1xtSql82clVfoLqpp1agJ9Z2DgxIYNO3NlFj6RotECaoxW62KAtvOUybxD 60oQ== X-Received: by 10.180.103.38 with SMTP id ft6mr13219911wib.19.1418812463115; Wed, 17 Dec 2014 02:34:23 -0800 (PST) Received: from [192.168.0.101] (host159-94-dynamic.7-79-r.retail.telecomitalia.it. [79.7.94.159]) by mx.google.com with ESMTPSA id qg11sm20381320wic.17.2014.12.17.02.34.22 (version=TLSv1.2 cipher=ECDHE-RSA-AES128-GCM-SHA256 bits=128/128); Wed, 17 Dec 2014 02:34:22 -0800 (PST) Message-ID: <54915C28.60901@gmail.com> Date: Wed, 17 Dec 2014 11:34:16 +0100 From: Stefano Lattarini MIME-Version: 1.0 References: <54335541.9000602@bbn.com> In-Reply-To: Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Spam-Score: -0.7 (/) X-BeenThere: debbugs-submit@debbugs.gnu.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.15 Precedence: list List-Id: List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Errors-To: debbugs-submit-bounces@debbugs.gnu.org Sender: "Debbugs-submit" X-Spam-Score: -0.7 (/) tags 18648 + wontfix stop On 10/07/2014 05:00 AM, Philip Guenther wrote: > On Mon, Oct 6, 2014 at 7:51 PM, Richard Hansen wrote: > ... >> Digging around in various CVS/Subversion repositories, it looks like >> there are many old (but perhaps not yet museum-worthy) *BSD versions >> that behave this way: >> >> * NetBSD 4.x and older (5.0 released April 2009). see: [1] [2] >> * FreeBSD 3.1.x and older (3.2 released May 1999). see: [3] [4] >> * OpenBSD 2.x and older (3.0 released Dec 2001). see [5] > > Speaking on behalf of the OpenBSD project: OpenBSD 2.x should be > considered dead, buried, rotted, and worthy of derision. History is > history: useful to study, but if you try to live there you will die of > horrific diseases. Do not hold up progress on the basis that you'll > trip over a 12+ year old release. > > Philip Guenther > guenther@openbsd.org > I belatedly agree with Philip. Even the last "free" BSD release to be affected (NetBSD 4.0) is 5 and a half years old, and in the fast-moving scenario of today's computing that sounds like a different geological era, IMHO. We should not allow the habits the autotools community had to develop "under duress" during the Unix wars period to affect today's progress. From debbugs-submit-bounces@debbugs.gnu.org Wed Dec 17 11:44:39 2014 Received: (at control) by debbugs.gnu.org; 17 Dec 2014 16:44:39 +0000 Received: from localhost ([127.0.0.1]:49076 helo=debbugs.gnu.org) by debbugs.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.80) (envelope-from ) id 1Y1HiJ-0002TN-0L for submit@debbugs.gnu.org; Wed, 17 Dec 2014 11:44:39 -0500 Received: from mail-wg0-f41.google.com ([74.125.82.41]:53324) by debbugs.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.80) (envelope-from ) id 1Y1HiH-0002TE-MS for control@debbugs.gnu.org; Wed, 17 Dec 2014 11:44:38 -0500 Received: by mail-wg0-f41.google.com with SMTP id y19so20787758wgg.14 for ; Wed, 17 Dec 2014 08:44:36 -0800 (PST) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20120113; h=message-id:date:from:mime-version:to:subject:content-type :content-transfer-encoding; bh=AehTwWG4BbPzfXpXJsdsLBFFertu5BmUsZCTTQWkzLE=; b=qXR1v0avGKGZGcNU9GtnNHf13bK75nCkGQiB1BLRARPLHAB3I0yeC5hhEAjigXi109 t6Uy6cSQV0YS+USbWVkD8eg38ZD9IA7f/YHdgx9dGZ2mWT5SR3XuqvjykiVi5Dzij+dR DbTxEie/fhqeXDME4Xvtd1Ksh7iN9WGKzVtZWZVFU7GzPALo1/pE+7H3+BrEc5qXb31A I4jIBWcGOpkdGPpRzI9UF/wEDtxXAF7IndJeO3nTK3G2d2ej6Rg5oK4I1BQFSYMqNDuB OOoTtTQMXRBy6UpVkP9yXDisttln44zCnya4RDmhDY+607Ghu82x3TPR378V9RFyVc17 8PZg== X-Received: by 10.180.198.164 with SMTP id jd4mr16015450wic.42.1418834676905; Wed, 17 Dec 2014 08:44:36 -0800 (PST) Received: from [192.168.0.101] (host159-94-dynamic.7-79-r.retail.telecomitalia.it. [79.7.94.159]) by mx.google.com with ESMTPSA id dv9sm6770289wib.14.2014.12.17.08.44.35 for (version=TLSv1.2 cipher=ECDHE-RSA-AES128-GCM-SHA256 bits=128/128); Wed, 17 Dec 2014 08:44:36 -0800 (PST) Message-ID: <5491B2EB.50001@gmail.com> Date: Wed, 17 Dec 2014 17:44:27 +0100 From: Stefano Lattarini MIME-Version: 1.0 To: GNU bug tracker automated control server Subject: x Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Spam-Score: -0.7 (/) X-Debbugs-Envelope-To: control X-BeenThere: debbugs-submit@debbugs.gnu.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.15 Precedence: list List-Id: List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Errors-To: debbugs-submit-bounces@debbugs.gnu.org Sender: "Debbugs-submit" X-Spam-Score: -0.7 (/) close 18648 close 17690 17421 + notabug close 17421 thanks