GNU bug report logs - #35209
Bug in zdiff argument of an option separated by a space is not handled correctly

Previous Next

Full log

View this message in rfc822 format

From: help-debbugs <at> gnu.org (GNU bug Tracking System)
To: Bram Mertens <mertensb.mazda <at> gmail.com>
Subject: bug#35209: closed (Re: bug#35209: Bug in zdiff argument of an
 option separated by a space is not handled correctly)
Date: Tue, 29 Mar 2022 23:55:02 +0000

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

Your bug report

#35209: Bug in zdiff argument of an option separated by a space is not handled correctly

which was filed against the gzip package, has been closed.

The explanation is attached below, along with your original report.
If you require more details, please reply to 35209 <at> debbugs.gnu.org.

-- 
35209: http://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi/bugreport.cgi?bug=35209
GNU Bug Tracking System
Contact help-debbugs <at> gnu.org with problems

[Message part 2 (message/rfc822, inline)]

From: Paul Eggert <eggert <at> cs.ucla.edu>
To: Bram Mertens <mertensb.mazda <at> gmail.com>
Cc: 35209-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#35209: Bug in zdiff argument of an option separated by a
 space is not handled correctly
Date: Tue, 29 Mar 2022 16:53:58 -0700

On 4/9/19 07:11, Bram Mertens wrote:

> The zdiff script does not handle options with arguments separated by a
> space correctly.

Thanks for reporting that. Lv Ying eventually followed up here:

https://bugs.gnu.org/54291

and as mentioned there, a patch has been installed and should be in the 
next gzip release.

[Message part 3 (message/rfc822, inline)]

From: Bram Mertens <mertensb.mazda <at> gmail.com>
To: bug-gzip <at> gnu.org
Subject: Bug in zdiff argument of an option separated by a space is not
 handled correctly
Date: Tue, 9 Apr 2019 16:11:14 +0200

Hi,

The zdiff script does not handle options with arguments separated by a
space correctly.

The following if a valid diff command: "diff -y -W 200 /tmp/b1 /tmp/b2".
But when passed to zdiff the space between "-W" and 200 causes the
COLUMNS argument to be interpreted as a file:
zdiff -y -W 200 /tmp/b1 /tmp/b2
/bin/zdiff: 72: /bin/zdiff: cannot open 200: No such file

The error is caused by the following line in the loop that processes
the arguments:
-?*) cmp="$cmp '$1'";; (line 63 in version  1.6)

There should be an additional check to catch options with arguments. I
couldn't come up with a working solution quickly so I am currently
using a workaround.
If I remove the space between the option "-W" and it's COLUMNS
argument the script works as expected.

With this workaround the zdiff utility is great solution for the
problem I'm working on, thanks!

Thanks in advance

Bram Mertens

Previous Next

GNU bug tracking system
Copyright (C) 1999 Darren O. Benham, 1997,2003 nCipher Corporation Ltd, 1994-97 Ian Jackson.