xargs error handling

[Dmitry V. Levin]

On Sun, Jan 23, 2005 at 05:20:53PM +0000, James Youngman wrote:
[...]
> Perhaps it's time to move a release to ftp.gnu.org.  Any thoughts,
> list members?

I still think that xargs(1) behaviour when it detects error could be
changed in more logical and expected way.

First, one simple check is missing:
$ fgrep -rn FIXME xargs/
xargs/xargs.c:722:        /* FIXME we don't check for unterminated quotes here. 
 */

Second, in case of error (e.g. max-chars overflow), xargs doesn't attempt
to wait for already forked child processes, and doesn't execute already
buffered input even when such execution is possible (-x is not specified,
etc.).

I have working patch for these issues (for findutils-4.2.11).  If there
is an interest, I can update it for findutils-4.2.13 and submit to patch
tracker.


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