Re: Proposed new feature: head --show-truncation

[Bob Proulx]

Ed Avis wrote:
> % diff -u a b | head -1000

Note that the standard syntax is 'head -n 1000' and not 'head -1000'.
Use of the older -NUMBER syntax is deprecated.

> The new feature is a --show-truncation flag which makes head print a
> banner at the end of each file's output if the file has been
> truncated.
> [...]
> I find this feature useful, and it seems natural - for example when
> [...]
> What do you think?

I personally don't think the feature is useful.  If I cared if the
output was truncated then I most certainly would not use 'head' on it.
That just seems the wrong tool for the job.  Instead I would pipe the
output into a pager.

But since this would be under the control of an option I would not be
hugely opposed to it either.  I would never be inclined to use the
option and so I would not be affected by it.

Bob