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Re: Proposed new POSIX sh policy



Hi,

        Firstly, should we be pointing to the SuS instead of POSIX
 (there is work going on a new version of the SUS), since it is open,
 and readily available on th 'net, and people can readily see it (as
 opposed to people who have shelled out $500 for a version)?

        Secondly, why should we explicity carve out an exception for
 test -a and -o, rather than saying that the XSI extensions need be
 supported? The X/Open System Interface is the core application
 programming interface for C and sh programming for systems conforming
 to the Single UNIX Specification.  

+	    <item><tt>local</tt> to create a scoped variable must be
+	      supported; however, <tt>local</tt> may or may not preserve
+	      the variable value from an outer scope and may or may not
+	      support arguments more complex than simple variable
+	      names</item>

        Perhaps a example/footnote needs be inserted here? If I were
 writing a script, it would help to be reminded that I can't really
 depend on very much of the semantics of local from any specific
 implementation.

fname () {
 local a  # keep it simple
 a=''     # initialize the variable
 .... use a ...
}
        is the only safe way to do use a local variable.  

        manoj

-- 
Doubt isn't the opposite of faith; it is an element of faith. Paul
Tillich, German theologian.
Manoj Srivastava <srivasta@debian.org> <http://www.debian.org/~srivasta/>
1024D/BF24424C print 4966 F272 D093 B493 410B  924B 21BA DABB BF24 424C



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