Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2013 20:21:11 -0700 (PDT) From: "Ronald F.Guilmette" <rfg@tristatelogic.com> To: FreeBSD-gnats-submit@freebsd.org Cc: rfg@tristatelogic.com Subject: docs/177429: dd(1) man page is unclear about semantics of conv=sync Message-ID: <20130328032111.F349B3B3F7@segfault.tristatelogic.com> Resent-Message-ID: <201303280330.r2S3U1GE059901@freefall.freebsd.org>
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>Number: 177429
>Category: docs
>Synopsis: dd(1) man page is unclear about semantics of conv=sync
>Confidential: no
>Severity: non-critical
>Priority: medium
>Responsible: freebsd-doc
>State: open
>Quarter:
>Keywords:
>Date-Required:
>Class: doc-bug
>Submitter-Id: current-users
>Arrival-Date: Thu Mar 28 03:30:00 UTC 2013
>Closed-Date:
>Last-Modified:
>Originator: Ronald F. Guilmette
>Release: FreeBSD 9.1-RELEASE amd64
>Organization:
entr0py
>Environment:
FreeBSD 9.1-RELEASE amd64
>Description:
The man page for dd(1) describes the "sync" parameter of the "conv=" option
thusly:
sync Pad every input block to the input buffer size. Spaces
are used for pad bytes if a block oriented conversion
value is specified, otherwise NUL bytes are used.
This verbage is entirely unclear. What is a "block oriented conversion value"
and how would a user know whether or not he had specified one?
The man page should make this more clear & explicit.
>How-To-Repeat:
man 1 dd
>Fix:
I don't know what the fix is because I don't have the vaguest idea what a
"block oriented conversion value" is.
>Release-Note:
>Audit-Trail:
>Unformatted:
help
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