GNU bug report logs - #73068
printf: please implement POSIX:2024 argument reordering

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From: help-debbugs <at> gnu.org (GNU bug Tracking System)
To: Bruno Haible <bruno <at> clisp.org>
Subject: bug#73068: closed (Re: bug#73068: printf: please implement
 POSIX:2024 argument reordering)
Date: Thu, 12 Sep 2024 16:18:02 +0000

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Your bug report

#73068: printf: please implement POSIX:2024 argument reordering

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

The explanation is attached below, along with your original report.
If you require more details, please reply to 73068 <at> debbugs.gnu.org.

-- 
73068: https://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi/bugreport.cgi?bug=73068
GNU Bug Tracking System
Contact help-debbugs <at> gnu.org with problems

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From: Pádraig Brady <P <at> draigBrady.com>
To: Bruno Haible <bruno <at> clisp.org>, 73068-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#73068: printf: please implement POSIX:2024 argument reordering
Date: Thu, 12 Sep 2024 17:15:56 +0100

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On 09/09/2024 19:30, Pádraig Brady wrote:
> On 06/09/2024 15:06, Bruno Haible wrote:
>> Hi,
>>
>> POSIX:2024 specifies that printf(1) should support numbered conversion
>> specifications:
>> https://pubs.opengroup.org/onlinepubs/9799919799/utilities/printf.html
>> https://austingroupbugs.net/view.php?id=1592
>>
>> Could this support please be added to GNU coreutils? As of coreutils 9.5,
>> I still get:
>>
>>     $ /usr/bin/printf 'abc%2$sdef%1$sxxx\n' 1 2
>>     abc/usr/bin/printf: %2$: invalid conversion specification
> 
> 
> This make sense to implement.
> I see ksh and FreeBSD at least, already have.
> I'll have a look at doing this.

I'll apply the attached sometime tomorrow.

Marking this as done.

cheers,
Pádraig

[printf-indexed.patch (text/x-patch, attachment)]

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From: Bruno Haible <bruno <at> clisp.org>
To: bug-coreutils <at> gnu.org
Subject: printf: please implement POSIX:2024 argument reordering
Date: Fri, 06 Sep 2024 16:06:34 +0200

Hi,

POSIX:2024 specifies that printf(1) should support numbered conversion
specifications:
https://pubs.opengroup.org/onlinepubs/9799919799/utilities/printf.html
https://austingroupbugs.net/view.php?id=1592

Could this support please be added to GNU coreutils? As of coreutils 9.5,
I still get:

  $ /usr/bin/printf 'abc%2$sdef%1$sxxx\n' 1 2
  abc/usr/bin/printf: %2$: invalid conversion specification

Rationale: It was pointed out in https://austingroupbugs.net/view.php?id=1592
that these four statements do all the same thing:

1) pid=$$; eval_gettext "Running as process number \$pid."; echo
2) printf_gettext "Running as process number %d." $$; echo
3) printf "`gettext 'Running as process number %d.'`" $$; echo
4) printf $(gettext 'Running as process number %d.') $$; echo

The first one has the drawback that it requires the programmer to
add backslashes to their format strings.

The second one has the drawback that it requires a 'printf_gettext'
program (that does not yet exist).

The third and fourth one (suggested by Jörg Schilling, IIRC) feel more
natural to a shell script programmer. However, they require that
printf supports numbered arguments. In the first time, we would use
a shorthand
  $printf
where (on most GNU systems) printf='/usr/bin/printf', until bash, dash,
etc. support it as well.

The long-term goal is to be able to change the GNU gettext documentation
https://www.gnu.org/software/gettext/manual/html_node/sh.html
to list:
  "
   Formatting with positions
     printf
  "

Bruno

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