bug#43541: minor bug in GNU coreutils 8.30: pwd --version doesn't work

[Bob Proulx]

tag 43541 + notabug
close 43541
thanks

Nikolay wrote:
> GNU coreutils 8.30

Coreutils version 8.30.  Gotcha.

> $ pwd --version
> bash: pwd: --: invalid option
> pwd: usage: pwd [-LP]

But that is not the GNU Coreutils pwd program.  That is the shell
builtin pwd.  In this case it is bash.  And bash does not document
either a --version or --help option.

    $ type pwd
    pwd is a shell builtin

    $ help pwd
    pwd: pwd [-LP]
        Print the name of the current working directory.
        
        Options:
          -L        print the value of $PWD if it names the current working
                    directory
          -P        print the physical directory, without any symbolic links
        
        By default, `pwd' behaves as if `-L' were specified.
        
        Exit Status:
        Returns 0 unless an invalid option is given or the current directory
        cannot be read.

Since this isn't a coreutils program I am going to attend to the
housekeeping and close the bug ticket.  But please let's continue
discussion here for additional questions or comments.

This is actually an FAQ.

    
https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/faq/coreutils-faq.html#I-am-having-a-problem-with-kill-nice-pwd-sleep-or-test_002e


> $ man pwd
> 
> ...
> 
> --version
>               output version information and exit

That is the man page for Coreutils pwd.  And if you want to use the
external command then you must avoid the builtin.

    $ type -a pwd
    pwd is a shell builtin
    pwd is /bin/pwd

    $ env pwd --version
    pwd (GNU coreutils) 8.32

Use of 'env' in this way forces searching PATH for the named program
regardless of shell and avoids builtins.

Hope this helps! :-)

Bob