Debian Bug report logs - #325005
findutils: xargs switch -n and -i

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Message #5 received at submit@bugs.debian.org (full text, mbox, reply):

From: Daniel Higgins <dhiggins@netc.net>

To: submit@bugs.debian.org

Subject: findutils: xargs switch -n and -i

Date: Thu, 25 Aug 2005 10:38:29 -0400

Package: findutils
Version: 4.2.24-1

in the unstable version of xargs, the -n switch sometimes fail when
combined with -i
echo 1 2 3| xargs -iX -n1 echo X
1 2 3
expected output:
1
2
3

-i also fails in some cases:
echo 1 2 3| xargs -iX -n2 echo X
X 1 2
X 3
expected output
1 2
3

echo 1 2 3| xargs -iX -n3 echo X
X 1 2 3
expected output
1 2 3

Message #10 received at 325005@bugs.debian.org (full text, mbox, reply):

From: Andreas Metzler <ametzler@debian.org>

To: Daniel Higgins <dhiggins@netc.net>, 325005@bugs.debian.org

Subject: Re: Bug#325005: findutils: xargs switch -n and -i

Date: Thu, 25 Aug 2005 20:13:06 +0200

On 2005-08-25 Daniel Higgins <dhiggins@netc.net> wrote:
> Package: findutils
> Version: 4.2.24-1

> in the unstable version of xargs, the -n switch sometimes fail when
> combined with -i
> echo 1 2 3| xargs -iX -n1 echo X

[ explained in the -done messages for http://bugs.debian.org/325001 ]

> -i also fails in some cases:
> echo 1 2 3| xargs -iX -n2 echo X
> X 1 2
> X 3
> expected output
> 1 2
> 3

> echo 1 2 3| xargs -iX -n3 echo X
> X 1 2 3
> expected output
> 1 2 3

-i and -n <k> with k greater than 1 are mutually exclusive, i.e. the
last one specified wins, I just fail to find the documentation for
that currently. Perhaps tomorrow.
               cu andreas
-- 
"See, I told you they'd listen to Reason," [SPOILER] Svfurlr fnlf,
fuhggvat qbja gur juveyvat tha.
Neal Stephenson in "Snow Crash"

Message #15 received at 325005-done@bugs.debian.org (full text, mbox, reply):

From: Andreas Metzler <ametzler@bebt.de>

To: 325005-done@bugs.debian.org

Subject: Re: Bug#325005: findutils: xargs switch -n and -i

Date: Sun, 1 Jan 2017 13:41:55 +0100

On 2005-08-25 Andreas Metzler <ametzler@debian.org> wrote:
> On 2005-08-25 Daniel Higgins <dhiggins@netc.net> wrote:
> > Package: findutils
> > Version: 4.2.24-1
[...]
> > -i also fails in some cases:
> > echo 1 2 3| xargs -iX -n2 echo X
> > X 1 2
> > X 3
> > expected output
> > 1 2
> > 3

> > echo 1 2 3| xargs -iX -n3 echo X
> > X 1 2 3
> > expected output
> > 1 2 3

> -i and -n <k> with k greater than 1 are mutually exclusive, i.e. the
> last one specified wins, I just fail to find the documentation for
> that currently. Perhaps tomorrow.

Well, a couple of years later:

[1] -i[replace-str], --replace[=replace-str]
        This  option  is  a  synonym for -Ireplace-str if replace-str is
        specified.  If the replace-str argument is missing,  the  effect
        is the same as -I{}.  This option is deprecated; use -I instead.
[2] -I replace-str
        Replace occurrences of replace-str in the initial-arguments with
        names  read  from  standard input.  Also, unquoted blanks do not
        terminate input items; instead  the  separator  is  the  newline
        character.  Implies -x and -L 1.
[3] -L max-lines
        Use  at  most  max-lines  nonblank input lines per command line.
        Trailing blanks cause an input line to be logically continued on
        the next input line.  Implies -x.


[1] -i is -I
[2] With -I each input line is taken as one single argument.
[2] -I implies -L1, i.e. [3] only a single line of input is read for
each execution of the program.

cu Andreas
-- 
`What a good friend you are to him, Dr. Maturin. His other friends are
so grateful to you.'
`I sew his ears on from time to time, sure'

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