[TUHS] Command line options and complexity
Dave Horsfall
dave at horsfall.org
Thu Mar 12 15:22:01 AEST 2020
On Thu, 12 Mar 2020, Greg 'groggy' Lehey wrote:
> A good example. But you're not removing options, you're just redefining
> them. In fact I find the -h option particularly emetic, so a better
> choice in removing options would be to remove -h and use a filter to
> mutilate the sizes:
>
> $ ls -l | humanize
I also had something like that in mind, except being British/Australian
I'd spell it with an "s" :-)
> But that's a pain, isn't it? That's why there's a -h option for people
> who like it. Note that you can't do it the other way round: you can't
> get the exact size from -h output.
Which is why I suggested there be a means to turn it off; I'm becoming a
fan of environment variables to modify the standard behaviour of tools
(but I loathe the Penguin/OS default to use colours).
> And then there's the question why you don't like the standard output.
> Because the number strings are too long and difficult to read, maybe?
> That's the rationale for the -, option.
More than likely; as I approach age 68 I notice that I'm losing some
cognitive facility... I might start using "," and see if I like it, but I
see that the Mac doesn't have it (my Penguin is off the air at the
moment), and having it as an environment variable would be nice.
>> Quickly now, without looking: which option shows unprintable
>> characters in a filename? Unless you use it regularly (in which
>> case you have real problems) you would have to look it up; I find
>> that "ls ... | od -bc" to be quicker, especially on filenames with
>> trailing blanks etc (which "-B" won't show).
>
> This is arguably a bug in the -B option. I certainly don't think the
> pipe notation is quicker. But it's nice to have both alternatives.
Agreed; as for the bug I think it comes down to what is meant by an
unprintable character. I certainly remember finding "hidden" set-uid
shells with the name of ".. " etc back when I was going after the
UNSW kiddies with an axe back in the late 70s...
-- Dave
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