Dear coreutil hackers,
as anyone doing *n*x housework regularly, i also am using these tools on a regular basis, in scripts and manually. What i often miss
(especially when invoking actions recursively with -Rc, and regretting part of the modifications shortly after) is the output of the
original state the file was in. Example:
changed ownership of `robots.txt' to www-data:www-data
Well i am glad about that, but who was it owned by before? It would be nice to
have this shown as one of
changed ownership of `robots.txt' to www-data:www-data (from root:root)
changed ownership of `robots.txt' from root:root to www-data:www-data
changed ownership of `robots.txt' root:root > www-data:www-data
While this example is not of much importance.. well consider this (made up):
mode of `/var/www/drupal-hfopi/files/temp/._/._/._/._/._/.shell.pl' changed to
0666 (rw-rw-rw-)
Mmmkay, ack that file shouldn't be +x... but what would be of real interest:
WAS it executable before? Same proposal mockup:
mode of `/var/www/drupal-hfopi/files/temp/._/._/._/._/._/.shell.pl' changed to
0666 (rw-rw-rw-) (from 0777 (rwxrwxrwx))
mode of `/var/www/drupal-hfopi/files/temp/._/._/._/._/._/.shell.pl' changed
from 0777 (rwxrwxrwx) to 0666 (rw-rw-rw-)
mode of `/var/www/drupal-hfopi/files/temp/._/._/._/._/._/.shell.pl' changed: 0777
(rwxrwxrwx) > 0666 (rw-rw-rw-)
To not break any scripts, this could be implemented as --print-original-state additional option to -v/-c. And please forgive for not
attaching a finished patch ;)
best regards,
marcel.
