Re: [coreutils] [PATCH] tests: fix a printf portability issue

[Pádraig Brady]

On 19/09/10 07:50, Jim Meyering wrote:
> Pádraig Brady wrote:
>> not all printf commands support \xhh
>>
>> diff --git a/tests/misc/sort-debug-keys b/tests/misc/sort-debug-keys
>> index 57a52a6..4e8beff 100755
>> --- a/tests/misc/sort-debug-keys
>> +++ b/tests/misc/sort-debug-keys
>> @@ -275,7 +275,7 @@ printf "2.,,3\n2.4\n" | sort -s -k1n --debug
>>  printf "2,,3\n2.4\n" | sort -s -k1n --debug
>>
>>  # -z means we convert \0 to \n
>> -printf "1a\x002b\x00" | sort -s -n -z --debug
>> +printf "1a\0002b\000" | sort -s -n -z --debug
> 
> That would accommodate an inferior printf builtin function,
> with the implication that all printf uses should do the same.
> It may be hard or at least tedious to audit existing uses --
> then it'd be good (but more work) to enforce the no-\xHH policy.
> 
> Since this is the coreutils, we have the option of a more sustainable
> policy: use "env" to ensure the test runs the printf binary that we've
> just built in this package:
> 
>     # printf '\xHH' is not portable with some built-ins. FIXME: list an 
> offender
>     # Use env to force use of the one from coreutils.
>     env printf '1a\x002b\x00' | sort -s -n -z --debug
> 
> That also gives printf more test coverage.
> 
> Also, please use single quotes in cases like this,
> where nothing is intended to be shell-expanded.

I'll change as you suggest (and also in the join-i18n test).

Note I left the double quotes (and octal escapes)
because that's what vim highlights.
vim's shell highlighting is woeful anyway,
especially if you don't change the default like
this in your ~/.vimrc
  let g:is_posix = 1
I should fix up vim rather than tweaking
scripts to accommodate it.

cheers,
Pádraig.