bug#13394: Misalignment for "seq -w"

[Bernhard Voelker]

On 01/09/2013 11:14 AM, Marcel Böhme wrote:
> Dear all,
> 
> There are the following problems with the -w parameter of the seq tool:
> 
> $seq -w -1 1.0 0
> -1.0
> 0.0
> 1.0
> 
> But it should print:
> -1.0
> 00.0
> 01.0

Hmm, according to the TEXI manual, the FIRST number should also use
a fixed point decimal representation when the -w option is used:

`-w'
`--equal-width'
     Print all numbers with the same width, by padding with leading
     zeros.  FIRST, STEP, and LAST should all use a fixed point decimal
     representation.  (To have other kinds of padding, use `--format').

Thus, seq is just doing what the manual says:

  $ seq -w -1.0 1.0 0.0
  -1.0
  00.0

But that leaves the question open if there's a reason for this.
I.e. if it's just documented behavior, a requirement of some
standard or due to compatibility reasons.

But as Padraig worked in this area recently ([1]), I think there
is further room for improvement ... and then the documentation
should be fixed.

@Padraig: WDYT?

Have a nice day,
Berny

[1] http://git.sv.gnu.org/cgit/coreutils.git/commit/?id=64d4a280