GNU bug report logs - #4115
grep and null device

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From: Jason Rumney <jasonr <at> gnu.org>
To: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>, 4115 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Cc: shippeys <theshippeys <at> blueyonder.co.uk>
Subject: bug#4115: grep and null device
Date: Wed, 12 Aug 2009 06:47:41 +0800

Eli Zaretskii wrote:

>> AIUI the null device is only there to make sure the grep call doesn't hang
>> if you forget to pass it files to search. It seems a lot of pain for a
>> marginal benefit!
>>     
>
> I don't know yet why null device is there.  Seeing the command line
> would help.
>   

It is there to force grep to print filenames in its output, even if only 
a single filename is given on the command line.

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