View Issue Details

IDProjectCategoryView StatusLast Update
00018331003.1(2016/18)/Issue7+TC2Base Definitions and Headerspublic2024-06-13 15:30
ReporterAntonio Diaz Assigned To 
PrioritynormalSeverityCommentTypeOmission
Status ResolvedResolutionAccepted As Marked 
NameAntonio Diaz
OrganizationGNU
User Reference
Section12.1 Utility Argument Syntax
Page Number?
Line Number?
Interp Status---
Final Accepted Text0001833:0006816
Summary0001833: Ambiguity about empty string used as option-argument
DescriptionThe second sentence of item 2a precludes the use of the empty string as an option-argument. [-p <string>] and [-p<string>] are equivalent only if <string> is not the empty string. [-p ""] and [-p""] are not equivalent.

The ambiguity of the single-argument case can be solved by appending "unless the option-argument is the empty string" at the end of the second sentence of item 2a.

In other words, the <blank> character separating option and option-argument is optional, unless the option-argument is the empty string.
Desired ActionChange the second sentence of item 2a from this:

However, a conforming implementation shall also permit applications to specify the option and option-argument in the same argument string without intervening <blank> characters.

to this:

However, a conforming implementation shall also permit applications to specify the option and option-argument in the same argument string without intervening <blank> characters unless the option-argument is the empty string.
Tagstc1-2024

Activities

steffen

2024-06-11 21:47

reporter   bugnote:0006811

Whereas i think Antonio is right, i want to point out that the "Base Definitions" make an implicit difference in between "String" and "Empty String" aka "Null String".
If plain "String" aka

  A contiguous sequence of bytes terminated by and including the first null byte.

would also mean "Empty String" i would be afraid of consequences for many wordings in the document (group names "can be empty" etc; "reproduceability", so to say).

But i think, if the core developers agree with my reading, that the definition of "String" itself should possibly refer to "Empty String" (aka "Null String") explicitly. Or be more verbose in general.

geoffclare

2024-06-13 15:29

manager   bugnote:0006816

Change:
However, a conforming implementation shall also permit applications to specify the option and option-argument in the same argument string without intervening <blank> characters.

to:
However, a conforming implementation shall also permit applications to specify the option and a non-empty option-argument in the same argument string without intervening <blank> characters.

Issue History

Date Modified Username Field Change
2024-06-11 16:19 Antonio Diaz New Issue
2024-06-11 16:19 Antonio Diaz Name => Antonio Diaz
2024-06-11 16:19 Antonio Diaz Organization => GNU
2024-06-11 16:19 Antonio Diaz Section => 12.1 Utility Argument Syntax
2024-06-11 16:19 Antonio Diaz Page Number => ?
2024-06-11 16:19 Antonio Diaz Line Number => ?
2024-06-11 21:47 steffen Note Added: 0006811
2024-06-13 15:29 geoffclare Note Added: 0006816
2024-06-13 15:30 geoffclare Interp Status => ---
2024-06-13 15:30 geoffclare Final Accepted Text => 0001833:0006816
2024-06-13 15:30 geoffclare Status New => Resolved
2024-06-13 15:30 geoffclare Resolution Open => Accepted As Marked
2024-06-13 15:31 geoffclare Tag Attached: tc1-2024