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Re: Feature request - base64 Filename Safe Alphabet


From: Bo Borgerson
Subject: Re: Feature request - base64 Filename Safe Alphabet
Date: Tue, 29 Apr 2008 11:48:19 -0400
User-agent: Thunderbird 2.0.0.12 (X11/20080227)

Gabriel Barazer wrote:
> AFAIK, POSIX filenames allow any character except the slash character
> and the null byte.
>
> Especially when this is the RFC recommanded translation. This would
> avoid confusing people with multiple translation sets and stick to the
> RFC (considered by many as the authoritative translation)
> 
> it is very easy to escape a dash character, either manually (the tab key
> makes it very easy with some shells), or in scripts (all languages have
> a shell escape function).
> 
> IMHO this is a bad idea because this would confuse even more people
> trying to use it. We could end with dozen of incompatible, non-portable
> shell scripts, with none using the same translation set.
> 
> A totally user-configurable alphabet is always possible with "base64 |
> tr" which is designed to do that.


Yes, you're absolutely right.  All very good points.

I do still think the original poster's suggestion of a `--filename-safe'
option is worth considering.  As you mentioned the inclusion of such a
base64 alphabet in the RFC means it's likely to be a widely accepted
alternative.


Bo




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