Hello,

On Mon, Apr 16, 2007 at 09:07:48AM +0000, Emmanuel Dreyfus wrote:
> Hello
> 
> I burnt myself hot when upgrading a pre NetBSD 2 box because awk regressed. 
> This caused chaos in a few administrative shell scripts.
> 
> Here is the problem:
> 
> # Works on 2.x, not on 3.x
> awk -vf=x 'BEGIN {print f}' /dev/null
> # Works on any release
> awk -v f=x 'BEGIN {print f}' /dev/null
> 
> The problem is rather old, but it's not a reason for not handling it. 
> Did someone give it a try in the past?

SUSv3, XBD 12.1 Utility Argument syntax:

Guideline 6:
    Each option and option-argument should be a separate argument,
	except as noted in Utility Argument Syntax , item (2).

and Utility Argument Syntax item(2) is:


	Option-arguments are sometimes shown separated from their options by
	<blank>s, sometimes directly adjacent. This reflects the situation that
	in some cases an option-argument is included within the same argument
	string as the option; in most cases it is the next argument. The Utility
	Syntax Guidelines in Utility Syntax Guidelines require that the option
	be a separate argument from its option-argument, but there are some
	exceptions in IEEE Std 1003.1-2001 to ensure continued operation of
	historical applications:
	
	a. If the SYNOPSIS of a standard utility shows a <space> between
	 an option and option-argument (as with [ -c option_argument] in
	 the example), a conforming application shall use separate
	 arguments for that option and its option-argument.

	b.If a <space> is not shown (as with [ -foption_argument]
	in the example), a conforming application shall place an
	option and its option-argument
	  directly adjacent in the same argument string, without
	  intervening <blank>s.

	c.Notwithstanding the preceding requirements on
	   conforming applications, a conforming implementation
	   shall permit an application to specify options and
	   option-arguments as a single argument or as separate
	   arguments whether or not a <space> is shown on the
	   synopsis line, [XSI] [Option Start]  except in those
	   cases (marked with the XSI portability warning) where
	   an option-argument is optional and no separation can be
	   used.  [Option End]

	d. A standard utility may also be implemented to operate
	correctly when the required separation into multiple
	arguments is violated by a non-conforming application.


So, if I understand correctly, awk(1) is not required to treat the
option/option-argument as a single argument (the may in 4.). The 2c here
is a bit fuzzy to many, but IIUC it applies to other applications than
standard utilities (XSI extensions?).

Cheers,
-- 
Thierry Laronde (Alceste) <tlaronde +AT+ polynum +dot+ com>
                 http://www.kergis.com/
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