Re: set -n ruins shell

[George Herson]

Paul Jarc wrote:

> George Herson <gherson@snet.net> wrote:
>
> > $ bash -c 'set -n; . /tmp/tmpscript2'
> > $ bash -n /tmp/tmpscript2
> > /tmp/tmpscript2: line 1: syntax error near unexpected token `(hello'
> > /tmp/tmpscript2: line 1: `echo (hello'
> >
> >
> > Thanks.  The first form didn't have output but the second did.
>
> Oops, right.  The command to source the script doesn't get executed,
> because set -n is in effect.
>
>
> paul

Ok, makes sense.

I expected set -n to not be particular about what errors it disclosed.  Many 
syntax errors appear to interpreters as bad commands, after all.  Why wouldn't 
set -n be coded to disclose all the errors that bash finds in a script?  Does 
set -n have other uses?

george