GNU bug report logs - #5991
[bug#5958 PATCH] docs: document translation of obsolete sort syntax

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

From: Eric Blake <eblake <at> redhat.com>
To: bug-coreutils <at> gnu.org
Subject: [bug#5958 PATCH] docs: document translation of obsolete sort syntax
Date: Tue, 20 Apr 2010 16:33:16 -0600

* doc/coreutils.texi (sort invocation): Mention the conversion.
---

How about this followup, copying the comment from Pádraig's patch into
our documentation?

 doc/coreutils.texi |    5 +++++
 1 files changed, 5 insertions(+), 0 deletions(-)

diff --git a/doc/coreutils.texi b/doc/coreutils.texi
index 7561f2a..ed620f3 100644
--- a/doc/coreutils.texi
+++ b/doc/coreutils.texi
@@ -4126,6 +4126,11 @@ sort invocation
 @vindex POSIXLY_CORRECT
 On older systems, @command{sort} supports an obsolete origin-zero
 syntax @samp{+@var{pos1} [-@var{pos2}]} for specifying sort keys.
+The sequence @samp{sort +@var{a}.@var{x} -@var{b}.@var{y}}
+translates to @samp{sort -k <at> var{a+1}.@var{x+1},@var{b}} if @var{y}
+is @samp{0} or absent, otherwise it translates to @samp{sort
+-k <at> var{a+1}.@var{x+1},@var{b+1}.@var{y}}.
+
 This obsolete behavior can be enabled or disabled with the
 @env{_POSIX2_VERSION} environment variable (@pxref{Standards
 conformance}); it can also be enabled when @env{POSIXLY_CORRECT} is
-- 
1.6.6.1

Message #10 received at 5991 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Pádraig Brady <P <at> draigBrady.com>
To: Eric Blake <eblake <at> redhat.com>
Cc: 5991 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#5991: [bug#5958 PATCH] docs: document translation of obsolete
	sort syntax
Date: Wed, 21 Apr 2010 09:36:11 +0100

On 20/04/10 23:33, Eric Blake wrote:
> * doc/coreutils.texi (sort invocation): Mention the conversion.
> ---
> 
> How about this followup, copying the comment from Pádraig's patch into
> our documentation?
> 
>  doc/coreutils.texi |    5 +++++
>  1 files changed, 5 insertions(+), 0 deletions(-)
> 
> diff --git a/doc/coreutils.texi b/doc/coreutils.texi
> index 7561f2a..ed620f3 100644
> --- a/doc/coreutils.texi
> +++ b/doc/coreutils.texi
> @@ -4126,6 +4126,11 @@ sort invocation
>  @vindex POSIXLY_CORRECT
>  On older systems, @command{sort} supports an obsolete origin-zero
>  syntax @samp{+@var{pos1} [-@var{pos2}]} for specifying sort keys.
> +The sequence @samp{sort +@var{a}.@var{x} -@var{b}.@var{y}}
> +translates to @samp{sort -k <at> var{a+1}.@var{x+1},@var{b}} if @var{y}
> +is @samp{0} or absent, otherwise it translates to @samp{sort
> +-k <at> var{a+1}.@var{x+1},@var{b+1}.@var{y}}.

Looks good.
Hopefully this will encourage people to change from the old to new format.
Perhaps s/translates/is equivalent/; s/-k/-k /;

cheers,
Pádraig.

Message #13 received at 5991 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Jim Meyering <jim <at> meyering.net>
To: Pádraig Brady <P <at> draigBrady.com>
Cc: Eric Blake <eblake <at> redhat.com>, 5991 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#5991: [bug#5958 PATCH] docs: document translation of obsolete
	sort syntax
Date: Wed, 21 Apr 2010 11:19:43 +0200

Pádraig Brady wrote:
> On 20/04/10 23:33, Eric Blake wrote:
>> * doc/coreutils.texi (sort invocation): Mention the conversion.
>> How about this followup, copying the comment from Pádraig's patch into
>> our documentation?

Thanks.

>> diff --git a/doc/coreutils.texi b/doc/coreutils.texi
...
>> +The sequence @samp{sort +@var{a}.@var{x} -@var{b}.@var{y}}
>> +translates to @samp{sort -k <at> var{a+1}.@var{x+1},@var{b}} if @var{y}
>> +is @samp{0} or absent, otherwise it translates to @samp{sort
>> +-k <at> var{a+1}.@var{x+1},@var{b+1}.@var{y}}.
>
> Looks good.
> Hopefully this will encourage people to change from the old to new format.
> Perhaps s/translates/is equivalent/; s/-k/-k /;

Another suggestion, to make it clearer why you'll want to convert:

s/The/The obsolete/

Message #16 received at 5991 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Eric Blake <eblake <at> redhat.com>
To: Jim Meyering <jim <at> meyering.net>
Cc: Pádraig Brady <P <at> draigBrady.com>, 5991 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#5991: [bug#5958 PATCH] docs: document translation of obsolete
	sort syntax
Date: Wed, 21 Apr 2010 08:00:12 -0600

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

On 04/21/2010 03:19 AM, Jim Meyering wrote:
>> Looks good.
>> Hopefully this will encourage people to change from the old to new format.
>> Perhaps s/translates/is equivalent/; s/-k/-k /;
> 
> Another suggestion, to make it clearer why you'll want to convert:
> 
> s/The/The obsolete/

Pushed, with those tweaks.

-- 
Eric Blake   eblake <at> redhat.com    +1-801-349-2682
Libvirt virtualization library http://libvirt.org

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