bug#13295: Possible bug - tr utility (original) (raw)

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From: Killen, Randy
Subject: bug#13295: Possible bug - tr utility
Date: Fri, 28 Dec 2012 23:48:58 +0000

Thanks Erik. That does help.

Randy

-----Original Message----- From: Erik Auerswald [mailto:address@hidden Sent: Friday, December 28, 2012 3:47 PM To: Killen, Randy; address@hidden Subject: Re: bug#13295: Possible bug - tr utility

Hi Randy,

On 12/28/2012 06:37 PM, Killen, Randy wrote:

Hello -

I encountered the situation shown below so thought that I would report it to see if it might be a bug or is expected behavior. Please let me know if you need additional information.

Randy

$ $ echo something | tr [:lower:] [:upper:] SOMETHING $ echo something | tr '[:lower:]' '[:upper:]' SOMETHING $ $ touch l $ echo something | tr [:lower:] [:upper:] tr: misaligned [:upper:] and/or [:lower:] construct $ echo something | tr '[:lower:]' '[:upper:]' SOMETHING $ rm l $ $ touch u $ echo something | tr [:lower:] [:upper:] tr: misaligned [:upper:] and/or [:lower:] construct $ echo something | tr '[:lower:]' '[:upper:]' SOMETHING $ rm u $ $ touch l $ touch u $ echo something | tr [:lower:] [:upper:] something $ echo something | tr '[:lower:]' '[:upper:]' SOMETHING $ rm l $ rm u

This is expected behavior, caused by lack of quoting that results in the shell (Bash) interpreting [...] as a wildcard pattern for file name globbing (see glob(7)). If the 'nullglob' option of the shell is disabled (use 'shopt nullglob' to display the current setting), a wildcard that matches no files is kept as is. Thus the wildcards [:lower:] and [:upper:] are either replaced by l resp. u if one of those files exist or kept, if no matching file exists.

Quoting the special characters '[' and ']' by using '[:lower:]' resp. '[:upper:]' (including the quotes) inhibits the shell from interpreting them as file globbing wildcards. Therefore, you should always quote character classes that are meant as arguments to a program.

HTH Erik Notice: All email and instant messages (including attachments) sent to or from Franklin Templeton Investments (FTI) personnel may be retained, monitored and/or reviewed by FTI and its agents, or authorized law enforcement personnel, without further notice or consent.