GNU bug report logs - #6561
dired-do-shell-command " *" vs. "*", too close for comfort

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

From: jidanni <at> jidanni.org
To: bug-gnu-emacs <at> gnu.org
Subject: dired-do-shell-command " *" vs. "*", too close for comfort
Date: Sun, 04 Jul 2010 10:11:04 +0800

Gee, a little slip of the wrist,
(dired-do-shell-command "head -c 999 * |sum" nil (quote ("FlashXXV9Z9sz")))
(dired-do-shell-command "head -c 999 *|sum" nil (quote ("FlashXXV9Z9sz")))
and it goes and gets every file in the directory.

Yes I know it is all well documented, but I can't think of any computer
language where such a tiny difference can make such a big difference.

I don't have an exact solution. All I know is it will bite the reader
sooner or later.

Message #10 received at 6561-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Glenn Morris <rgm <at> gnu.org>
To: 6561-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#6561: dired-do-shell-command " *" vs. "*",
	too close for comfort
Date: Tue, 10 Jan 2012 21:27:05 -0500

Version: 24.0.93

dired-do-shell-command claims to have a safety feature for this:

  `*' and `?' when not surrounded by whitespace have no special
  significance for `dired-do-shell-command', and are passed through
  normally to the shell, but you must confirm first.

AFAICS, due to a logic bug this feature has never worked.
Hopefully now it does.


I still have no idea what:

   To pass `*' by itself to the shell as a wildcard, type `*\"\"'.

is supposed to mean though.

Message #13 received at 6561 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Glenn Morris <rgm <at> gnu.org>
To: 6561 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#6561: dired-do-shell-command " *" vs. "*",
	too close for comfort
Date: Tue, 10 Jan 2012 21:34:22 -0500

Glenn Morris wrote:

> I still have no idea what:
>
>    To pass `*' by itself to the shell as a wildcard, type `*\"\"'.
>
> is supposed to mean though.

I see the manual explains it better:

    If you want to use `*' as a shell wildcard with whitespace around it,
                                               ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
    write `*""'. In the shell, this is equivalent to `*'; but since the `*'
    is not surrounded by whitespace, Dired does not treat it specially.

Message #16 received at 6561 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: jidanni <at> jidanni.org
To: 6561 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#6561: closed (Re: bug#6561: dired-do-shell-command " *" vs.
	"*", too close for comfort)
Date: Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:14:22 +0800

Well
GbTS>   `*' and `?' when not surrounded by whitespace have no special
such design is too risky for the general public anyway.

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