Re: Syntax error with background jobs in loops

[Eric Blake]

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According to Toby Kelsey on 6/8/2006 4:34 AM:
>   for i in 31 31 32; do sleep $i & done
> 
> (note the last one should give a syntax error since it violates the
> for-loop
> syntax "for name [ in word ] ; do list ; done", but instead it works)

Actually, according to the POSIX grammar,
http://www.opengroup.org/onlinepubs/009695399/utilities/xcu_chap02.html#tag_02_10_02,
the syntax for <for_clause> includes a <do_group>, which is 'do'
<compound_list> 'done'; and the syntax of a compound list can end in a
<separator_op> which is either '&' or ';'.  Using BOTH '&' and ';' is the
true syntax error, and the above example is not a workaround, but the
correct syntax.

- --
Life is short - so eat dessert first!

Eric Blake             ebb9@byu.net
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