#25078 - ls-quotes: discrepancy between ls' and ls -1' (original) (raw)

GNU bug report logs - #25078

ls-quotes: discrepancy between `ls' and `ls -1'

Previous Next

Reported by: Zhiming Wang <zmwangx gmail.com>

Date: Wed, 30 Nov 2016 20:20:01 UTC

Severity: normal

Done: Assaf Gordon <assafgordon gmail.com>

Bug is archived. No further changes may be made.

To add a comment to this bug, you must first unarchive it, by sending
a message to control AT debbugs.gnu.org, with unarchive 25078 in the body.
You can then email your comments to 25078 AT debbugs.gnu.org in the normal way.

Toggle the display of automated, internal messages from the tracker.

Report forwardedto bug-coreutils <at> gnu.org:
bug#25078; Package coreutils. (Wed, 30 Nov 2016 20:20:01 GMT) Full text and rfc822 format available.

Acknowledgement sentto Zhiming Wang <zmwangx <at> gmail.com>:
New bug report received and forwarded. Copy sent to bug-coreutils <at> gnu.org. (Wed, 30 Nov 2016 20:20:02 GMT) Full text and rfc822 format available.

Message #5 received at submit debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

coreutils 8.26 includes the following improvement:

ls now aligns quoted items with non quoted items, which is easier to read, and also better indicates that the quote is not part of the actual name.

which I find to be a welcome addition to the quoting behavior introduced in 8.25. However, this improvement does not apply to the -1 option, which is puzzling to me. Compare the following (coreutils 8.26 on macOS 10.12.1, 80-column terminal, bash or zsh):

$ ls
'['
'a very very very very very very very very very very very very long filename'
 b2sum
 base32
 base64
 basename

$ ls -1
'['
'a very very very very very very very very very very very very long filename'
b2sum
base32
base64
basename

The second invocation with the -1 option leaves much to be desired in comparison to the first invocation.

-1 should probably receive the same alignment treatment?

Best, Zhiming

Information forwardedto bug-coreutils <at> gnu.org:
bug#25078; Package coreutils. (Wed, 30 Nov 2016 21:36:02 GMT) Full text and rfc822 format available.

Message #8 received at 25078 debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

On 30/11/16 20:19, Zhiming Wang wrote:

coreutils 8.26 includes the following improvement:

ls now aligns quoted items with non quoted items, which is easier to read, and also better indicates that the quote is not part of the actual name.

which I find to be a welcome addition to the quoting behavior introduced in 8.25.

Cool, thanks.

However, this improvement does not apply to the -1 option, which is puzzling to me. Compare the following (coreutils 8.26 on macOS 10.12.1, 80-column terminal, bash or zsh):

$ ls
'['
'a very very very very very very very very very very very very long filename'
 b2sum
 base32
 base64
 basename

$ ls -1
'['
'a very very very very very very very very very very very very long filename'
b2sum
base32
base64
basename

The second invocation with the -1 option leaves much to be desired in comparison to the first invocation.

-1 should probably receive the same alignment treatment?

I originally had that but thought it might be more problematic than useful.

When ls -1 is used interactively it can be handy to triple click to select the whole line, in which case selecting just the file name without leading space would be preferred.

Also one can use ls -1 | less etc. in "interactive" mode, in which case ls couldn't use alignment or it would break lots of scripts, but then the output would be inconsistent if alignment was used without the pipe.

Also one can achieve the desired output with ls -w1 or ls -x -w1 | less.

The arguments aren't very strong for not aligning ls -1 by default, so we may change this.

thanks, Pádraig

Information forwardedto bug-coreutils <at> gnu.org:
bug#25078; Package coreutils. (Wed, 30 Nov 2016 21:49:01 GMT) Full text and rfc822 format available.

Message #11 received at 25078 debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

On Nov 30, 2016, at 4:35 PM, Pádraig Brady <P draigBrady.com> wrote:

When ls -1 is used interactively it can be handy to triple click to select the whole line, in which case selecting just the file name without leading space would be preferred.

I had this thought as well because I've been triple clicking ls output a lot since 8.25, but then I realized when the filename is one single blob that doesn't need quoting, I can (at least in my terminal emulator) just double click to select it anyway, so it doesn't really matter.

Also one can use ls -1 | less etc. in "interactive" mode, in which case ls couldn't use alignment or it would break lots of scripts, but then the output would be inconsistent if alignment was used without the pipe.

Yeah, that's a valid argument.

Also one can achieve the desired output with ls -w1 or ls -x -w1 | less.

Didn't think of ls -w1. I'll use that, thanks.

Best, Zhiming

Information forwardedto bug-coreutils <at> gnu.org:
bug#25078; Package coreutils. (Thu, 01 Dec 2016 01:42:02 GMT) Full text and rfc822 format available.

Message #14 received at 25078 debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

[Message part 1 (text/plain, inline)]

The alignment change is helpful, but I do have an argument against doing the same in the -1 case: It breaks something many of us have done in scripts.

Of course we know that ls -1 isn't the best way to go, but for quickie scripts it has been the standby for many. Also, I cannot come up with a good reason why someone would use ls -1 unless they were scripting it. (add to that, if anyone using the -1 argument that seems to imply that they know what they are doing). Having said that, I am thinking about it now an know that I have used ls-1 before just to see the output, and I used it to see the honest output without any "noise" - no dates and times, no formatting, no anything, just plain filenames. I think the "list one file per line." in the man page says it right; just list it.

I understand when you say "The arguments aren't very strong for not aligning ls -1 by default,", however I have given you one (albeit weak) argument, and for me, I cannot see a strong argument for making ls -1 align like that. As eluded to above, I cannot think of a scenario where someone would use ls -1 and want it indented for them.

Cheers, Paul

On Wed, Nov 30, 2016 at 4:35 PM, Pádraig Brady <P draigbrady.com> wrote:

On 30/11/16 20:19, Zhiming Wang wrote:

coreutils 8.26 includes the following improvement:

ls now aligns quoted items with non quoted items, which is easier to read, and also better indicates that the quote is not part of the actual name.

which I find to be a welcome addition to the quoting behavior introduced in 8.25.

Cool, thanks.

However, this improvement does not apply to the -1 option, which is puzzling to me. Compare the following (coreutils 8.26 on macOS 10.12.1, 80-column terminal, bash or zsh):

$ ls
'['
'a very very very very very very very very very very very very long

filename' b2sum base32 base64 basename

$ ls -1
'['
'a very very very very very very very very very very very very long

filename' b2sum base32 base64 basename

The second invocation with the -1 option leaves much to be desired in comparison to the first invocation.

-1 should probably receive the same alignment treatment?

I originally had that but thought it might be more problematic than useful.

When ls -1 is used interactively it can be handy to triple click to select the whole line, in which case selecting just the file name without leading space would be preferred.

Also one can use ls -1 | less etc. in "interactive" mode, in which case ls couldn't use alignment or it would break lots of scripts, but then the output would be inconsistent if alignment was used without the pipe.

Also one can achieve the desired output with ls -w1 or ls -x -w1 | less.

The arguments aren't very strong for not aligning ls -1 by default, so we may change this.

thanks, Pádraig

[Message part 2 (text/html, inline)]

Information forwardedto bug-coreutils <at> gnu.org:
bug#25078; Package coreutils. (Thu, 01 Dec 2016 02:13:02 GMT) Full text and rfc822 format available.

Message #17 received at 25078 debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

On Nov 30, 2016, at 8:41 PM, Paul Vint <pjvint gmail.com> wrote:

The alignment change is helpful, but I do have an argument against doing the same in the -1 case: It breaks something many of us have done in scripts.

It breaks nothing. Quoting and alignment by default only happens when stdout is a tty. Also, ls prints one entry per line when stdout is not a tty; you don't even need -1.

Of course we know that ls -1 isn't the best way to go, but for quickie scripts it has been the standby for many.

Parsing ls output not only "isn't the best way", it's also wrong (tm). You know that, but I still want to point it out. Not saying compatibility should be broken; as already said, nothing is broken.

Also, I cannot come up with a good reason why someone would use ls -1 unless they were scripting it.

Pádraig already mentioned one: "When ls -1 is used interactively it can be handy to triple click to select the whole line." Also, one per line is easier on my eyes.

(add to that, if anyone using the -1 argument that seems to imply that they know what they are doing).

Not sure what you're implying.

Having said that, I am thinking about it now an know that I have used ls-1 before just to see the output, and I used it to see the honest output without any "noise" - no dates and times, no formatting, no anything, just plain filenames. I think the "list one file per line." in the man page says it right; just list it.

That's more of an argument against quoting than alignment. You should probably open a new discussion (and you've had quite a while to do that).

As eluded to above, I cannot think of a scenario where someone would use ls -1 and want it indented for them.

The fact that I even bothered to open this issue probably says something about someone wanting to use ls -1 and see the results aligned.

Best, Zhiming

**Changed bug title to 'ls-quotes: discrepancy between `ls' and `ls -1'' from 'ls 8.26: discrepancy between `ls' and `ls -1' in the alignment of quoted and nonquoted items'**Request was from Assaf Gordon <assafgordon <at> gmail.com>to control <at> debbugs.gnu.org. (Sun, 28 Oct 2018 07:31:02 GMT) Full text and rfc822 format available.

Reply sentto Assaf Gordon <assafgordon <at> gmail.com>:
You have taken responsibility. (Thu, 13 Dec 2018 20:28:02 GMT) Full text and rfc822 format available.

Notification sentto Zhiming Wang <zmwangx <at> gmail.com>:
bug acknowledged by developer. (Thu, 13 Dec 2018 20:28:02 GMT) Full text and rfc822 format available.

Message #24 received at 25078-done debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

Hello,

On 2016-11-30 7:12 p.m., Zhiming Wang wrote:

On Nov 30, 2016, at 8:41 PM, Paul Vint <pjvint gmail.com> wrote:

The alignment change is helpful, but I do have an argument against doing the same in the -1 case: It breaks something many of us have done in scripts.

It breaks nothing. Quoting and alignment by default only happens when stdout is a tty. Also, ls prints one entry per line when stdout is not a tty; you don't even need -1.

We created a summary of common issues and FAQs regarding the quoting change in ls(1): https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/quotes.html

If there is an issue that is not addressed there, please send an email to coreutils gnu.org .

regards,

Information forwardedto bug-coreutils <at> gnu.org:
bug#25078; Package coreutils. (Fri, 14 Dec 2018 00:19:02 GMT) Full text and rfc822 format available.

Message #27 received at 25078-done debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

On Dec 13, 2018, at 3:27 PM, Assaf Gordon <assafgordon gmail.com> wrote:

We created a summary of common issues and FAQs regarding the quoting change in ls(1): https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/quotes.html

If there is an issue that is not addressed there, please send an email to coreutils gnu.org .

This is a pretty informative page, well done. I have two issues with it:

Information forwardedto bug-coreutils <at> gnu.org:
bug#25078; Package coreutils. (Sat, 15 Dec 2018 20:53:01 GMT) Full text and rfc822 format available.

Message #30 received at 25078 debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

Hello,

On 2018-12-13 5:18 p.m., Zhiming Wang wrote:

On Dec 13, 2018, at 3:27 PM, Assaf Gordon <assafgordon gmail.com> wrote:

https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/quotes.html

Initially we'll mention it in replies that directly address this issue. After a bit more feedback, we might link it in the main page (similar to the FAQ).

Thanks, I changed it to a different message in the same thread.

regards,

**bug archived.**Request was from Debbugs Internal Request <help-debbugs <at> gnu.org>to internal_control <at> debbugs.gnu.org. (Sun, 13 Jan 2019 12:24:06 GMT) Full text and rfc822 format available.

This bug report was last modified 6 years and 152 days ago.

Previous Next

GNU bug tracking system
Copyright (C) 1999 Darren O. Benham, 1997,2003 nCipher Corporation Ltd, 1994-97 Ian Jackson.