Re: Bug: tail (GNU coreutils) 5.97

[Eric Blake]

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According to address@hidden on 10/3/2009 2:59 AM:
> Hello! 
> 
> This particular default version of tail cannot handle the argument, 
> +line-number. 

Not a bug.  This behavior is required by newer versions of POSIX.

Use 'tail -n +line-number' instead.  The NEWS file mentions:

>   A few usages still have behavior that depends on which POSIX standard is
>   being conformed to, and portable applications should beware these
>   problematic usages.  These include:
> 
>     Problematic       Standard-conforming replacement, depending on
>        usage            whether you prefer the behavior of:
>                       POSIX 1003.2-1992    POSIX 1003.1-2001
>     sort +4           sort -k 5            sort ./+4
>     tail +4           tail -n +4           tail ./+4
>     tail - f          tail f               [see (*) below]
>     tail -c 4         tail -c 10 ./4       tail -c4
>     touch 12312359 f  touch -t 12312359 f  touch ./12312359 f
>     uniq +4           uniq -s 4            uniq ./+4

See also the manual, 'info coreutils standards', for a means of using
_POSIX2_VERSION to request the older behavior.

> address@hidden bin]$ tail --version 
> tail (GNU coreutils) 5.97 

Consider upgrading.  That version is YEARS old, with numerous bug fixes in
the meantime.  The latest stable version is 7.6.

- --
Don't work too hard, make some time for fun as well!

Eric Blake             address@hidden
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