Date: Wed, 18 Jul 2007 21:09:31 +0100 From: Rui Paulo <rpaulo@fnop.net> To: Fred Gilham <gilham@csl.sri.com> Cc: current@freebsd.org Subject: Re: less -r broken with long lines Message-ID: <469E737B.5090609@fnop.net> In-Reply-To: <40882.1184765616@snapdragon.csl.sri.com> References: <469D651C.6080504@fnop.net> <40882.1184765616@snapdragon.csl.sri.com>
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Fred Gilham wrote: > Rui Paulo <rpaulo@fnop.net> wrote: > >> Hi, >> There's something about how the new less version handles lines greater >> than the virtual terminal's size. >> >> Test case on an xterm/rxvt/screen session: >> >> less -r /etc/syslog.conf - you won't see the $FreeBSD$ id tag because >> of the long line regarding to /var/log/messages. Try resizing your >> terminal so that this line fits in the right number of columns. You'll >> see the problem disappear. >> >> less -r /etc/rc.firewall - since there are no long lines in the first >> page, you won't notice the problem >> >> Everything works fine if less is used without the -r argument or if less >> is run from the console. >> >> Does this ring any bell to anyone? >> >> Regards. >> -- >> Rui Paulo > > This is documented behavior. From the "less" manpage: > > -r or --raw-control-chars > Causes "raw" control characters to be displayed. The default is > to display control characters using the caret notation; for > example, a control-A (octal 001) is displayed as "^A". Warning: > when the -r option is used, less cannot keep track of the actual > appearance of the screen (since this depends on how the screen > responds to each type of control character). Thus, various dis- > play problems may result, such as long lines being split in the > wrong place. It depends on the interpretation. "various display problems may result" may very well be a reference to the fact that control characters mangle the output. I wasn't expecting long lines to mangle the output. If you less -r a file without control characters, but with a least a line wider than your screen size, you'll notice the problem. But, either way, less has been doing this for ages. I just took a long time to notice it. Regards. -- Rui Paulo
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