GNU bug report logs - #79407
to-file option not working any more?

Previous Next

Full log

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

From: Mandar Mitra <mandar.mitra <at> gmail.com>
To: bug-diffutils <at> gnu.org
Subject: to-file option not working any more?
Date: Mon, 8 Sep 2025 14:14:08 +0530

When I specify a directory with the --to-file option, and ask diff to compare multiple files with the corresponding files under the to-file directory, only the first file is diffed; a "No such file or directory" message is displayed for everything else.

Example:

$ /bin/diff -s --to-file=tmp/ 012018.pdf ben.pdf 
Files 012018.pdf and tmp/012018.pdf are identical
/bin/diff: tmp/: No such file or directory

But running diff separately on the two files works:

$ /bin/diff -s --to-file=tmp/ 012018.pdf 
Files 012018.pdf and tmp/012018.pdf are identical

$ /bin/diff -s --to-file=tmp/ ben.pdf 
Files ben.pdf and tmp/ben.pdf are identical

I'm reasonably sure this used to work earlier as I expected, but a quick search did not find any related discussions / bug reports.

Could someone kindly confirm whether this is a bug or incorrect understanding on my part?

Many thanks,
Mandar.

Previous Next

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