Re: [PATCH] latest ash has broken 'echo' command

[Raja R Harinath <harinath@cs.umn.edu>]

Herbert Xu <herbert@gondor.apana.org.au> writes:
> On Sun, Oct 24, 1999 at 11:56:04PM -0400, Raul Miller wrote:
> > If someone wants to change the world (I'm most concerned about the linux
> > kernel source, debian policy and existing debian scripts, but I expect
> > that there are other issues as well), I have no objection to a later
> > change to debian policy which removes all references to echo -n.
> 
> Please don't make the kernel source sound like the end of the world.
> They've used bashisms for a long time and still do.  So they don't
> affect this argument at all.

Sorry to jump in (and maybe has been brought up before), but there's
one reason, IMHO, for echo -n support in ash: configure.  The autoconf
macro responsible is: 

  dnl Check whether to use -n, \c, or newline-tab to separate
  dnl checking messages from result messages.
  dnl Idea borrowed from dist 3.0.
  dnl Internal use only.
  AC_DEFUN(AC_PROG_ECHO_N,
  [if (echo "testing\c"; echo 1,2,3) | grep c >/dev/null; then
    # Stardent Vistra SVR4 grep lacks -e, says ghazi@caip.rutgers.edu.
    if (echo -n testing; echo 1,2,3) | sed s/-n/xn/ | grep xn >/dev/null; then
      ac_n= ac_c='
  ' ac_t='        '
    else
      ac_n=-n ac_c= ac_t=
    fi
  else
    ac_n= ac_c='\c' ac_t=
  fi
  ])

Nary a `printf' in sight.  The whole of configure then uses constructs
like: 

     echo $ac_n "message$ac_c"

to pretty print its 

   checking foo ... (cached) yes

messages.  As soon as `ash' stops supporting `echo -n', all those
`configure' scripts will start looking plug ugly.

- Hari
-- 
Raja R Harinath ------------------------------ harinath@cs.umn.edu
"When all else fails, read the instructions."      -- Cahn's Axiom
"Our policy is, when in doubt, do the right thing."   -- Roy L Ash