coreutils/doc/coreutils.texi, branch v8.22

doc: fix typo in numfmt invocation

2013-12-12T16:59:36Z

* doc/coreutils.texi (numfmt invocation): s/nun/num/. Fixes http://bugs.gnu.org/16122

shuf: --repeat, not --repetitions; default --head-count is infinity

2013-12-06T17:55:55Z

Original problem reported by Philipp Thomas in . * NEWS: shuf --repeat, not shuf --repetitions. * doc/coreutils.texi (shuf invocation): * src/shuf.c (usage, long_opts, main): * tests/misc/shuf.sh: Likewise. Also, the default head-count is infinity.

doc: clarify that df now generally processes special files correctly

2013-12-05T23:59:36Z

Since v8.21-172-g33660b4, df not only treats symbolic link arguments differently, as stated there, but now generally processes special file arguments in a non-canonicalized form correctly: $ cd /dev && df-old sdb Filesystem 1K-blocks Used Available Use% Mounted on devtmpfs 1014572 48 1014524 1% /dev $ cd /dev && df-new sdb Filesystem 1K-blocks Used Available Use% Mounted on /dev/sdb 10190136 6039532 3609932 63% /home Document df's new behavior. * doc/coreutils.texi (df invocation): In the paragraph describing df's behavior regarding special file arguments, relax the condition for such special files from "... is an absolute name of ..." to "... resolves to ...". * NEWS (Bug fixes): Mention the new behavior also here.

doc: remove obsolete info on terminal alignment bugs

2013-12-03T03:37:23Z

* doc/coreutils.texi (ls invocation): Remove the note about OSX terminals not aligning properly as this is no longer the case. Tested by: Philipp Thomas

selinux: adjust utils to run restorecon with -Z

2013-11-27T14:19:32Z

cp, mv, install, mkdir, mkfifo, mknod are adjusted so that: -Z no longer accepts an argument. -Z or --context without an argument do not warn without SELinux. --context with an argument will warn without SELinux. * src/local.mk: Reference the new selinux module where required. * src/system.h: Make the argument to --context optional. * src/mkdir.c: Likewise. Also handle the SMACK case for --context. Note we currently silently ignore -Z with SMACK. * src/mkfifo.c: Likewise. * src/mknod.c: Likewise. * src/install.c: Likewise. Note install(1) by default already set the context for target files to their system default, albeit with an older method. Use the -Z option to select between the old and new context restoration behavior, and document the differences and details for how context restoration is done in new and old methods, with a view disabling the old method entirely in future. * src/cp.c: Make the argument to --context optional. Note -Z implies --no-preserve=context. I.E. -Z overrides that aspect of -a no matter what order specified. (struct cp_options): Document the context handling options. (main): Check/adjust option combinations after all options are processed, to both simplify processing and to make handling independent of order of options on the command line. Also improve the diagnostics from a failed call to setfscreatecon(). (set_process_security_ctx): A new function, refactored to set the default context from the source file, or with the type adjusted as per the system default for the destination path. (set_file_security_ctx): A new function refactored to set the security context of an existing file, either based on the process context or the default system context for a path. (copy_internal): Use the refactored functions to simplify error handling and consistently fail or warn as needed. (copy_reg): Likewise. (copy_internal): With --preserve=context, also copy context from non regular files. Note for directories this may impact the copying of subsequent files to that directory? (copy_attr): If we're handling SELinux explicitly, then exclude to avoid the redudant copy with --preserve=context, and the problematic copy with -Z. Note SELinux attribute exclusion also now honors cp -a --no-preserve=context. Note there was a very small window over 10 years ago, where attr_copy_file was available, while attr_copy_check_permissions was not, so we don't bother adding an explicit m4 check for the latter function. * src/mv.c: Support --context, but don't allow specifying an argument. * src/chcon.c: Adjust a comment to be specific to SELinux. * src/runcon.c: Likewise. * src/copy.c: Honor the context settings to "restorecon" as appropriate. * src/copy.h: Add a new setting to select "restorecon" functionality. * tests/mkdir/selinux.sh: s/-Z/--context=/ * tests/cp/cp-a-selinux.sh: Augment this test with cases testing basic -Z functionality, and also test the various invalid option combinations and option precedence. * tests/mkdir/restorecon.sh: Add a new test for the more involved mkdir -Z handling, since the directory changing and non existent directories need to be specially handled. Also check the similar but simpler handling of -Z by mk{nod,fifo}. * tests/local.mk: Reference the new test. * doc/coreutils.texi (cp invocation): Update as per interface changes. (mv invocation): Likewise. (install invocation): Likewise. (mkfifo invocation): Likewise. (mknod invocation): Likewise. (mkdir invocation): Likewise. * NEWS: Mention the new feature and change in behavior.

shred: provide --remove methods to avoid excessive syncing

2013-11-27T01:43:12Z

A sync operation is very often expensive. For illustration I timed the following python script which indicated that each ext4 dir sync was taking about 2ms and 12ms, on an SSD and traditional disk respectively. import os d=os.open(".", os.O_DIRECTORY|os.O_RDONLY) for i in range(1000): os.fdatasync(d) So syncing for each character for each file can result in significant delays. Often this overhead is redundant, as only the data is sensitive and not the file name. Even if the names are sensitive, your file system may employ synchronous metadata updates, which also makes explicit syncing redundant. * tests/misc/shred-remove.sh: Ensure all the new parameters actually unlink the file. * doc/coreutils.texi (shred invocation): Describe the new parameters to the --remove option. * src/shred.c (Usage): Likewise. (main): Parse the new options. (wipename): Inspect the new enum to see which of the now optional tasks to perform. * NEWS: Mention the new feature. * THANKS.in: Add reporter Joseph D. Wagner

df: add --output=file to directly output specified arguments

2013-11-27T01:39:11Z

* src/df.c (usage): Document the new 'file' --output field. (get_dev): Add a new parameter to pass the specified argument from the command line through. Use '-' if a command line parameter is not being used. * doc/coreutils.texi (df invocation): Describe the new 'file' field. * tests/df/df-output.sh: Adjust all fields test, and add a specific test for --output=file. * NEWS: Mention the new feature.

doc: clarify the operation of ls -k

2013-11-26T15:46:22Z

* src/ls.c (usage): Mention -k only changes the display for disk usage (directory total, and ls -s), and imply that it can be overridden (by --block-size, and -h). * doc/coreutils.texi (block size): Mention that ls -k handling is different to other utilities. Addresses http://bugs.gnu.org/14525

doc: enhance diagnostic when rm skips "." or ".." arguments

2013-11-21T10:43:48Z

The error diagnostic "rm: cannot remove directory: '.'" does not give the user a hint for the reason. Issue a clearer error message. * src/remove.c (rm_fts): Enhance the error diagnostic in the above case to emphasize that skipping is done deliberately. In the corresponding comment, mention that POSIX mandates this behavior. Likewise in the subsequent comment for skipping "/". * doc/coreutils.texi (rm invocation): In the paragraph describing the above behavior, mention that POSIX mandates it.

stty: add support for mark/space parity

2013-11-17T12:26:12Z

This adds support for using a constant or "stick" parity bit. * src/stty.c (usage): Mention the new flag. * tests/misc/stty.sh: Adjust for the new flag. * NEWS: Mention the improvement. * docs/coreutils.texi (stty invocation): Mention the new flag.