find: parameter order

[Gordon Grimes]

 

Hi,

I'm using GNU xargs version 4.1.7 and see the following strange behavior.  If one uses the -n or --max-args switches, along with --replace, then the behavior depends upon the order of the parameters. I'm guessing that one shouldn't use those with --replace as it sets the arg count automatically. Nevertheless, the behavior below is undocumented and, IMO, counter-intuitive.  Note that the last two commands neglect to do the replacement.

thanks,

gordon grimes

 

(Create a file "testinput" with "a", "b" and "c" on separate lines)

$ xargs -n 1 --replace=@  echo "( @ )" < testinput
( a )
( b )
( c )
$ xargs --max-args=1 --replace=@  echo "( @ )" < testinput
( a )
( b )
( c )
$ xargs  --replace=@  echo "( @ )" < testinput
( a )
( b )
( c )

$ xargs --replace=@  -n 1 echo "( @ )" < testinput
( @ ) a
( @ ) b
( @ ) c
$ xargs  --replace=@  --max-args=1 echo "( @ )" < testinput
( @ ) a
( @ ) b
( @ ) c