Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ames!sun-barr!apple!vsi1!wyse!bob
From: bob@wyse.wyse.com (Bob McGowen Wyse Technology Training)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.wizards
Subject: Re: Look!  An xargs!! (Re: recursive grep)
Message-ID: <2404@wyse.wyse.com>
Date: 6 Sep 89 19:03:15 GMT
References: <666@lakart.UUCP> <1641@cbnewsl.ATT.COM> <7774@cbmvax.UUCP> <16816@pasteur.Berkeley.EDU> <1126@virtech.UUCP>
Sender: news@wyse.wyse.com
Reply-To: bob@wyse.UUCP (Bob McGowen Wyse Technology Training)
Organization: Wyse Technology
Lines: 38

In article <1126@virtech.UUCP> cpcahil@virtech.UUCP (Conor P. Cahill) writes:
>In article <16816@pasteur.Berkeley.EDU>, deboor@buddy.Berkeley.EDU (Adam R de Boor) writes:
>> 
---deleted---
>> while read arg; do
>> 	args="$args $arg"
>> done
---deleted---
>
>Yet another non-solution.  This one does not handle the problem where the
>list of arguments exceeds the maximum length (usually 5120 bytes). 

true, but a test could be added to avoid this problem.  As a quick and
not too efficient solution:

	if [ `echo $args|wc -c` -gt 3000 ]
	then
	    $* $args
	fi
A final product would require better checking, I think, and testing of
command line items, etc, but this would seem to be a way to start.

>Also there is a dependency that the args variable in the while loop is 
>available outside the loop.  I have found that this is not always true 
>due to the fact that the while loop may be implemented using a sub-shell.

ONLY when the loop's input or output is redirected to/from other programs or
a file.  If this is not the case the loop will always execute in the current
shell.  Thus the form in the example is quite valid.

>I guess we need a post-graduate level course, or a beginners c program class.

OK, but are you willing to pay for it?

Bob McGowan  (standard disclaimer, these are my own ...)
Customer Education, Wyse Technology, San Jose, CA
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