Unclear readout from ar when invoked faulty.

[Josef Vukovic]

Hello,

When I invode ar faulty say print only the name of it , I think this is a faulty invokation because the man page says in the
synopsis section ar [--plugin name] [-X32_64] [--][mod [relpos] [count]] archive [member...]  If I'm right ar archive is requied

address@hidden:~/src/hello$ ar
Usage: ar [emulation options] [--plugin <name>] [-]{dmpqrstx}[abcfilNoPsSuvV] [member-name] [count] archive-file file...
       ar -M [<mri-script]
 commands:
  d            - delete file(s) from the archive

  m[ab]        - move file(s) in the archive
  p            - print file(s) found in the archive
  q[f]         - quick append file(s) to the archive
  r[ab][f][u]  - replace existing or insert new file(s) into the archive

  t            - display contents of archive
  x[o]         - extract file(s) from the archive
 command specific modifiers:
  [a]          - put file(s) after [member-name]
  [b]          - put file(s) before [member-name] (same as [i])

  [D]          - use zero for timestamps and uids/gids
  [N]          - use instance [count] of name
  [f]          - truncate inserted file names
  [P]          - use full path names when matching
  [o]          - preserve original dates

  [u]          - only replace files that are newer than current archive contents
 generic modifiers:
  [c]          - do not warn if the library had to be created
  [s]          - create an archive index (cf. ranlib)

  [S]          - do not build a symbol table
  [T]          - make a thin archive
  [v]          - be verbose
  [V]          - display the version number
  @<file>      - read options from <file>

 optional:
  --plugin <p> - load the specified plugin
 emulation options: 
  No emulation specific options
ar: supported targets: elf32-powerpc aixcoff-rs6000 elf32-powerpcle ppcboot elf32-little elf32-big elf64-powerpc elf64-powerpcle aixcoff64-rs6000 elf64-little elf64-big elf32-spu plugin srec symbolsrec verilog tekhex binary ihex

address@hidden:~/src/hello$ 

It prints then a unclear Usage: in which first the member-name and then the archive-file is mentioned. but if  I invoke it like this

address@hidden:~/src/hello$ ar -t hello_2.4-3_powerpc.deb | grep control --

control.tar.gz
address@hidden:~/src/hello$ ar -xo control.tar.gz hello_2.4-3_powerpc.deb 
ar: control.tar.gz: File format not recognized
address@hidden:~/src/hello$ 

further it seems to write only to the standarerror strem if I invoke it like

address@hidden:~/src/hello$ ar > ar

There is nothing in the file ar but if I invoke it like:

address@hidden:~/src/hello$ ar 2> ar

There is the description with wrong synopsis section in the file ar

further if invoked faulty like this:

address@hidden:~/src/hello$ ar --help

It readouts on the standard output and standard error stream but with an additional line which says "Report bugs to <http://www.sourceware.org/bugzilla> and still the faulty synopsis section.

What do you think is it a bug?

regards
Josef Vukovic