GNU bug report logs - #33824
coreutils v.8.30 – An expression part of a cat command is interpreted as "ambiguous redirect" when applied to a target.

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

From: Ricky Tigg <ricky.tigg <at> gmail.com>
To: bug-coreutils <at> gnu.org
Subject: coreutils v.8.30 – An expression part of a cat command is interpreted as "ambiguous redirect" when applied to a target.
Date: Fri, 21 Dec 2018 16:32:06 +0100

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

Component: coreutils.x86_64  8.30. Observation not reported at pixelbeat.org
<https://www.pixelbeat.org/docs/coreutils-gotchas.html>.

Command executed:
$ cat a* >> b*
bash: b*: ambiguous redirect

Thought the same syntax is used with success when applied only to source
files:
$ cat a* >> b
$

Probably a bug. Regards, R.T.

[Message part 2 (text/html, inline)]

Message #8 received at 33824 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Assaf Gordon <assafgordon <at> gmail.com>
To: Ricky Tigg <ricky.tigg <at> gmail.com>, 33824 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#33824: coreutils v.8.30 – An expression part of a cat command is interpreted as "ambiguous redirect" when applied to a target.
Date: Sat, 22 Dec 2018 22:58:51 -0700

tags 33824 notabug
close 33824
stop

Hello,

On 2018-12-21 8:32 a.m., Ricky Tigg wrote:
> 
> Command executed:
> $ cat a* >> b*
> bash: b*: ambiguous redirect
> 
> Thought the same syntax is used with success when applied only to source
> files:
> $ cat a* >> b
> $
> 
> Probably a bug. 

This is not a bug - it is the result of the shell (not cat)
performing glob-expansion (i.e. the "b*" string expands multiple
existing files whose name starts with "b").

Consider the following example:

  $ touch b1 b2 b3
  $ echo > b*
  -bash: b*: ambiguous redirect


As such, I'm closing this as "notabug".
Discussion can continue by replying to this thread.

-assaf

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