Subject: ksh bugs and behaviour questions
To: None <tech-userlevel@netbsd.org>
From: Thomas Klausner <wiz@danbala.ifoer.tuwien.ac.at>
List: tech-userlevel
Date: 12/09/2002 20:59:48
Hi!
I've tried using ksh in current (from Nov 5) for a bit, and I stumbled
over the following bugs and differing behaviour compared to bash:
. ctrl-y doesn't append to last ctrl-y
bash does this, and I find it quite nice when wanting to some parts in
the middle of a previous line
. ctrl-r doesn't search in current line
bash does this, and I prefer it to ksh's behaviour of starting in the
previous line in the history; good if you want to e.g. change the flags
given to the current command
. expansion does not work correctly in many cases.
This is a bug. Details:
. directories containing a single quote or double quote.
> mkdir test<RET>
> cd test<RET>
> mkdir a\'b<RET>
> touch a<TAB>
> touch a\'b/<TAB>
> touch a\'b/'b/<TAB>
> touch a\'b/'b/'b/<TAB>
...
. same as above, but not quite that bad with '?':
for every tab, a list of completing directories is shown
> ll a?b/<TAB>
a?b/
> ll a?b/<TAB>
a?b/
. same as above, but with '$':
> ll a\$b/<TAB>
> ll a\$b/ a\$b/<TAB>
> ll a\$b/ a\$b/ a\$b/<TAB>
...
. backslash is fine.
. probably some more, but I didn't test all characters needing quoting
. <UP><DOWN> doesn't give back an empty line
bash does this; ksh remains on the last line in the history
. ctrl-l on empty line does not clear(1)
bash does this, and I prefer it to having to type 'clear' :)
. first command line argument gets expanded even to non-executable files
bash does this, and I think it's a useful feature.
. completion does not offer .* files at all except if . is prepended by the user
One could argue over this one. I'm not sure which I prefer.
. completion does not work on incomplete variables ($HO<TAB>) or user names
(~wi<TAB>)
bash does this...
. completion does not append '/' to ..
For me, this one's a bug.
. if leaving ksh with CTRL-D, no new line character emitted
Nit, I know.
So how many of the above describe changes that _should not_ be done to ksh?
Bye,
Thomas
--
Thomas Klausner - wiz@danbala.ifoer.tuwien.ac.at
What is wanted is not the will to believe, but the will to find
out, which is the exact opposite. -- Bertrand Russell