On 11/12/2011 02:29 PM, Paul Eggert wrote: > On 11/12/11 05:54, Eric Blake wrote: >> -k --key=KEYDEF control where a key starts and ends, and give >> ordering specific to the key. See KEYDEF below. >> >> KEYDEF is F[.C][OPTS][,F[.C][OPTS]], where F is a field number and C >> a character position in the field; both are origin 1. If the second >> position is omitted, the key runs to the end of the line. If neither >> -t nor -b is in effect, characters in a field are counted from the >> beginning of the preceding whitespace. OPTS is one or more >> single-letter ordering options [bdfgiMhnRrV], which override global >> ordering options for that key. If no key is given, use the entire line >> as the key. > > That's nicer, but a bit longer. How about this attempt to shorten its > first two sentences? > > -k, --key=KEYDEF sort via a key; KEYDEF gives location and type > > ... > > KEYDEF is F[.C][OPTS][,F[.C][OPTS]], where F is a field number and C a > character position in the field; both are origin 1, and the key's end > defaults to the line's end. > > with the remainder as before.
Sure. Here's the current state of things in patch format; any last objections before I push this? From 968b21312eda99fd5e9402546c370775d1e696cf Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Eric Blake <[email protected]> Date: Wed, 16 Nov 2011 10:09:12 -0700 Subject: [PATCH] sort: clarify wording on -k syntax MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit * src/sort.c (usage): Use KEYDEF instead of POS, and call out the specific OPTS that can occur in KEYDEF. Based on a report by Lars Noodén, http://bugs.gnu.org/10019 --- src/sort.c | 17 ++++++++--------- 1 files changed, 8 insertions(+), 9 deletions(-) diff --git a/src/sort.c b/src/sort.c index 3e94a6e..236cb6a 100644 --- a/src/sort.c +++ b/src/sort.c @@ -457,8 +457,7 @@ Other options:\n\ If F is - then read names from standard input\n\ "), stdout); fputs (_("\ - -k, --key=POS1[,POS2] start a key at POS1 (origin 1), end it at POS2\n\ - (default end of line). See POS syntax below\n\ + -k, --key=KEFDEF sort via a key; KEYDEF gives location and type\n\ -m, --merge merge already sorted files; do not sort\n\ "), stdout); fputs (_("\ @@ -483,13 +482,13 @@ Other options:\n\ fputs (VERSION_OPTION_DESCRIPTION, stdout); fputs (_("\ \n\ -POS is F[.C][OPTS], where F is the field number and C the character position\n\ -in the field; both are origin 1. If neither -t nor -b is in effect, characters\ -\n\ -in a field are counted from the beginning of the preceding whitespace. OPTS is\ -\n\ -one or more single-letter ordering options, which override global ordering\n\ -options for that key. If no key is given, use the entire line as the key.\n\ +KEYDEF is F[.C][OPTS][,F[.C][OPTS]] for start and stop position, where F is a\n\ +field number and C a character position in the field; both are origin 1, and\n\ +the stop position defaults to the line's end. If neither -t nor -b is in\n\ +effect, characters in a field are counted from the beginning of the preceding\n\ +whitespace. OPTS is one or more single-letter ordering options [bdfgiMhnRrV],\n\ +which override global ordering options for that key. If no key is given, use\n\ +the entire line as the key.\n\ \n\ SIZE may be followed by the following multiplicative suffixes:\n\ "), stdout); -- 1.7.7.1 -- Eric Blake [email protected] +1-919-301-3266 Libvirt virtualization library http://libvirt.org
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