Re: Usage/syntax for command-line utilities

[Robert Elz <kre%munnari.OZ.AU@localhost>]

    Date:        Mon, 18 Mar 2024 20:40:57 -0700 (PDT)
    From:        Paul Goyette <paul%whooppee.com@localhost>
    Message-ID:  <Pine.NEB.4.64.2403182025100.22906%speedy.whooppee.com@localhost>

  | Why do we have drvctl(8) and gpt(8) (for example only, there are
  | others) which put the device-to-act-on at the end of the command:
  |
  |  	gpt [-Hnqrv] [-m mediasize] [-s sectorsize] [-T timestamp]
  |  	    command [command_options] device

Historical baggage.  But you get to have it both ways with gpt.
link it to any other name (than gpt) and that version will use
the 'device first' strategy:


Script started on Tue Mar 19 12:21:03 2024
jacaranda$ gpt show raid0; gptt raid0 show
       start        size  index  contents
           0           1         PMBR
           1           1         Pri GPT header
           2          32         Pri GPT table
          34         478         Unused
         512  1258291200      1  GPT part - NetBSD FFSv1/FFSv2
  1258291712   838860800      2  GPT part - NetBSD FFSv1/FFSv2
  2097152512    41943040      3  GPT part - NetBSD FFSv1/FFSv2
  2139095552  1087426015         Unused
  3226521567          32         Sec GPT table
  3226521599           1         Sec GPT header
       start        size  index  contents
           0           1         PMBR
           1           1         Pri GPT header
           2          32         Pri GPT table
          34         478         Unused
         512  1258291200      1  GPT part - NetBSD FFSv1/FFSv2
  1258291712   838860800      2  GPT part - NetBSD FFSv1/FFSv2
  2097152512    41943040      3  GPT part - NetBSD FFSv1/FFSv2
  2139095552  1087426015         Unused
  3226521567          32         Sec GPT table
  3226521599           1         Sec GPT header

Script done on Tue Mar 19 12:21:42 2024