Re: tac --separator

[Bob Proulx]

John Cowan wrote:
> Bob Proulx scripsit:
> > It is using all of the spaces.  See that "c b a" is reversed.  But the
> > problem is that the "d" is not terminated.
> 
> I don't think your explanation really explains.  With the terminator set
> to space, the four records in the file are "a", "b", "c", and "d\n",
> where the newline is added by "echo".  So on output, you get a "d\n",
> a "c", a "b", and an "a", all separated by spaces.

Ah, yes, you are right of course.  That is a much better description.
Thanks for the correction!

> > Try this to add a space terminator:
> > 
> >   printf "a b c d " | tac --separator=" " ; echo
> >   d c b a 
> > 
> >   printf "a b c d " | tac --separator=" " | od -c -tx1
> >   0000000   d       c       b       a    
> >           64 20 63 20 62 20 61 20
> 
> This is different because "printf" doesn't add a newline to the end,
> unlike "echo".  Having or not having a terminating space is irrelevant,
> just as it's normally irrelevant whether you have a terminating newline.

Hmm...  It is not irrelevant.  Look at this case then:

  printf "a b c d" | tac --separator=" "; echo
  dc b a 

Because there is no terminator for the d record it is output without
one when passed through tac.  I think a delimiter really is needed
after the d record on input for good results on output.

Bob