Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!sdd.hp.com!hplabs!hpfcso!hpfcdc!koren
From: koren@hpfcdc.HP.COM (Steve Koren)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.misc
Subject: Re: SKsh variables
Message-ID: <37090008@hpfcdc.HP.COM>
Date: 30 Mar 91 20:45:36 GMT
References: <6765@khaki14.UUCP>
Organization: HP Fort Collins, Co.
Lines: 30



> Let's here it for this request! And could I also request redirection
> syntax so that I can do things like:

>	prog 2>&1 | more

Redirection syntax already is in there (ie, try "command > file"),
but the case you point out above is something slightly different.
It directects stuff sent to stderr (file descriptor 2) to go to stdout.
The Amiga doesn't really differentiate stderr and stdout - programs
have just one place to dump output to, unless they open up another
output themselves.  Since 99% of all programs don't make a distinction
between stderr and stdout, SKsh doesn't support assigning one to
the other.  There is also a limitation on where redirection symbols
can come in a line: at the beginning or end only.  Thus, you can
say:
   cmd1 | cmd2 > output
but not:
   cmd1 > output | cmd2
which is logically the same thing but slightly more confusing.

There is another difficulty in piping things to more on the Amiga.
Some "more" commands will, if they detect that stdin is not a console,
open up the console themselves.  These more commands can be piped
to.  Most, however, won't check, and so you can't pipe stuff into
them.  You have to find an applicable more command before you can
use it with pipes.

  - steve