Date: Tue, 20 Nov 2001 01:30:01 -0800 (PST) From: Ruslan Ermilov <ru@freebsd.org> To: freebsd-doc@freebsd.org Subject: Re: docs/32082: true.1 totally incorrect Message-ID: <200111200930.fAK9U1H23785@freefall.freebsd.org>
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The following reply was made to PR docs/32082; it has been noted by GNATS.
From: Ruslan Ermilov <ru@FreeBSD.ORG>
To: "Gary W. Swearingen" <swear@blarg.net>
Cc: setantae <setantae@submonkey.net>,
FreeBSD-gnats-submit@FreeBSD.ORG, doc@FreeBSD.ORG
Subject: Re: docs/32082: true.1 totally incorrect
Date: Tue, 20 Nov 2001 11:22:13 +0200
On Mon, Nov 19, 2001 at 01:12:42PM -0800, Gary W. Swearingen wrote:
> I think "true" and "false" should not bother with DIAGNOSTIC sections,
> but if used they should match the description's terminology and sense.
>
I agree.
> All of "exit code", "exit status", "status" are in common use ("exit
> value", less so), but in the "sh", "ksh", and "csh" man pages "exit
> code" is used only in "sh" and there only in two adjacent sentences.
>
It is also used in the sysexits(3) manpage.
> Selection of "status" or "exit status" is more context dependent and a
> matter of taste. (I would try to avoid using "code", even though that
> is more natural to me than "status" because of my personal experience.)
>
Irrelevant.
> It's debatable whether the status of "false" should be given as "one" or
> "non-zero". Should man pages describe the actual program or the presumed
> specification of the program? What specification should be presumed in
> this case?
>
These manpages clain the conformance to POSIX, and POSIX says false(1)
should always return with a non-zero exit code, hence we should use
"non-zero".
> The shell man pages sometimes say that a command
> returns "one" when "non-zero" would seem to suffice. (I think man pages
> should describe presumed specifications, but in this case I think the
> specification should be that "false" should exit with status = "1".)
>
Nope.
> Which brings up another issue. Is an exit status code value an integer
> or a string and should they be given as numerics or English words?
>
It's definitely an integer. :-)
> (I guess I'd wimp out and say that people should be expected to deal with
> the small confusion and allow both forms but recommend English words in
> most contexts as demanded by standard rules of English for readability.)
>
Yes, both forms are allowed.
Finally, I suggest to commit the following:
Index: true/true.1
===================================================================
RCS file: /home/ncvs/src/usr.bin/true/true.1,v
retrieving revision 1.8
diff -u -p -r1.8 true.1
--- true/true.1 2001/07/15 08:01:38 1.8
+++ true/true.1 2001/11/20 09:09:35
@@ -46,17 +46,11 @@
.Sh DESCRIPTION
The
.Nm
-command is normally used in a Bourne shell script.
-It tests for the appropriate status "false" before running
-(or failing to run) a list of commands.
+utility always returns with exit code zero.
.Sh SEE ALSO
.Xr csh 1 ,
.Xr false 1 ,
.Xr sh 1
-.Sh DIAGNOSTICS
-The
-.Nm
-utility always returns with exit code zero.
.Sh STANDARDS
The
.Nm
Index: false/false.1
===================================================================
RCS file: /home/ncvs/src/usr.bin/false/false.1,v
retrieving revision 1.8
diff -u -p -r1.8 false.1
--- false/false.1 2001/07/15 08:01:13 1.8
+++ false/false.1 2001/11/20 09:09:35
@@ -46,13 +46,7 @@
.Sh DESCRIPTION
The
.Nm
-command is usually used in a Bourne shell script.
-It tests for the appropriate status "false" before running
-(or failing to run) a list of commands.
-.Pp
-The
-.Nm
-utility always exits with a value other than zero.
+utility always returns with a non-zero exit code.
.Sh SEE ALSO
.Xr csh 1 ,
.Xr sh 1 ,
Cheers,
--
Ruslan Ermilov Oracle Developer/DBA,
ru@sunbay.com Sunbay Software AG,
ru@FreeBSD.org FreeBSD committer,
+380.652.512.251 Simferopol, Ukraine
http://www.FreeBSD.org The Power To Serve
http://www.oracle.com Enabling The Information Age
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