Re: -i interactive command not working

[Jim Meyering]

"Alfred M. Szmidt" <address@hidden> wrote:
>    But I'm sure there are plenty of other duplicate descriptions that
>    _should_ be factored.  Any such patch would be very welcome.
>
> I took a quick look, and the obvious things to factor are the
> descriptions for the common switches.  But I'm unsure if it is really
> worth the effort, a lot of the programs have similar options, but they
> all differ in some small detail.  Like -i/--interactive example you
> gave.  Anyway, patch and ChangeLog applied.  Note that it only
> "macrofies" <10 options.

Thank you!

I've merged those changes into the tree (still not available).
Other than resolving a conflict due to separation of -H and --si
in du (the meaning of -H will change), the only real change I made
was to not create a new file.  Here's the result:

2004-01-15  Alfred M. Szmidt  <address@hidden>

        Factor out some common options.
        * coreutils.texi (Common options): Define macros here.
        (What information is listed, cp invocation): Use the macro(s).
        (install invocation, mv invocation, ln invocation): Likewise.
        (df invocation, du invocation): Likewise.

Index: doc/coreutils.texi
===================================================================
RCS file: /fetish/cu/doc/coreutils.texi,v
retrieving revision 1.147
retrieving revision 1.148
diff -u -p -u -r1.147 -r1.148
--- doc/coreutils.texi  9 Jan 2004 18:15:58 -0000       1.147
+++ doc/coreutils.texi  15 Jan 2004 10:58:47 -0000      1.148
@@ -495,6 +495,77 @@ insights to the overall process.
 @node Common options
 @chapter Common options
 
address@hidden optBackup
address@hidden -b
address@hidden @address@hidden@var{method}]}
address@hidden -b
address@hidden --backup
address@hidden VERSION_CONTROL
address@hidden backups, making
address@hidden options}.
+Make a backup of each file that would otherwise be overwritten or removed.
address@hidden macro
+
address@hidden optBackupSuffix
address@hidden -S @var{suffix}
address@hidden address@hidden
address@hidden -S
address@hidden --suffix
+Append @var{suffix} to each backup file made with @option{-b}.
address@hidden options}.
address@hidden macro
+
address@hidden optTargetDirectory
address@hidden @address@hidden@var{directory}}
address@hidden --target-directory
address@hidden target directory
address@hidden destination directory
+Specify the destination @var{directory}.
address@hidden directory}.
address@hidden macro
+
address@hidden optSi
address@hidden --si
address@hidden --si
address@hidden SI output
+Append an SI-style abbreviation to each size, such as @samp{MB} for
+megabytes.  Powers of 1000 are used, not 1024; @samp{MB} stands for
+1,000,000 bytes.  This option is equivalent to
address@hidden  Use the @option{-h} or
address@hidden option if
+you prefer powers of 1024.
address@hidden macro
+
address@hidden optHumanReadable
address@hidden -h
address@hidden --human-readable
address@hidden -h
address@hidden --human-readable
address@hidden human-readable output
+Append a size letter to each size, such as @samp{M} for mebibytes.
+Powers of 1024 are used, not 1000; @samp{M} stands for 1,048,576 bytes.
+Use the @option{--si} option if you prefer powers of 1000.
address@hidden macro
+
address@hidden optStripTrailingSlashes
address@hidden @address@hidden
address@hidden --strip-trailing-slashes
address@hidden stripping trailing slashes
+Remove any trailing slashes from each @var{source} argument.
address@hidden slashes}.
address@hidden macro
+
address@hidden optVersionControl
address@hidden -V @var{method}
address@hidden address@hidden
address@hidden -V
address@hidden --version-control
+Change the type of backups made with @option{-b}.  The @var{method}
+argument can be @samp{none} (or @samp{off}), @samp{numbered} (or
address@hidden), @samp{existing} (or @samp{nil}), or @samp{never} (or
address@hidden).  @xref{Backup options}.
address@hidden macro
+
 @cindex common options
 
 Certain options are available in all of these programs.  Rather than
@@ -5292,15 +5363,7 @@ Inhibit display of group information in 
 (This is the default in some address@hidden versions of @command{ls}, so we
 provide this option for compatibility.)
 
address@hidden -h
address@hidden --human-readable
address@hidden -h
address@hidden --human-readable
address@hidden human-readable output
-Append a size letter to each size, such as @samp{M} for mebibytes.
-Powers of 1024 are used, not 1000; @samp{M} stands for 1,048,576 bytes.
-This option is equivalent to @option{--block-size=human} (@pxref{Block size}).
-Use the @option{--si} option if you prefer powers of 1000.
address@hidden
 
 @item -i
 @itemx --inode
@@ -5400,15 +5463,7 @@ systems, it reports sizes that are twice
 that are NFS-mounted from BSD systems.  This is due to a flaw in HP-UX;
 it also affects the HP-UX @command{ls} program.
 
address@hidden --si
address@hidden --si
address@hidden SI output
-Append an SI-style abbreviation to each size, such as @samp{MB} for
-megabytes.  Powers of 1000 are used, not 1024; @samp{MB} stands for
-1,000,000 bytes.  This option is equivalent to
address@hidden  Use the @option{-h} or
address@hidden option if
-you prefer powers of 1024.
address@hidden
 
 @end table
 
@@ -6289,11 +6344,7 @@ This is useful in creating a file for us
 since such a file must not have any holes.
 @end table
 
address@hidden @address@hidden
address@hidden --strip-trailing-slashes
address@hidden stripping trailing slashes
-Remove any trailing slashes from each @var{source} argument.
address@hidden slashes}.
address@hidden
 
 @item -s
 @itemx --symbolic-link
@@ -6305,19 +6356,9 @@ file names must be absolute (starting wi
 destination files are in the current directory.  This option merely
 results in an error message on systems that do not support symbolic links.
 
address@hidden -S @var{suffix}
address@hidden address@hidden
address@hidden -S
address@hidden --suffix
-Append @var{suffix} to each backup file made with @option{-b}.
address@hidden options}.
address@hidden
 
address@hidden @address@hidden@var{directory}}
address@hidden --target-directory
address@hidden target directory
address@hidden destination directory
-Specify the destination @var{directory}.
address@hidden directory}.
address@hidden
 
 @item -v
 @itemx --verbose
@@ -6325,14 +6366,7 @@ Specify the destination @var{directory}.
 @opindex --verbose
 Print the name of each file before copying it.
 
address@hidden -V @var{method}
address@hidden address@hidden
address@hidden -V
address@hidden --version-control
-Change the type of backups made with @option{-b}.  The @var{method}
-argument can be @samp{none} (or @samp{off}), @samp{numbered} (or
address@hidden), @samp{existing} (or @samp{nil}), or @samp{never} (or
address@hidden).  @xref{Backup options}.
address@hidden
 
 @item -x
 @itemx --one-file-system
@@ -6551,14 +6585,7 @@ The program accepts the following option
 
 @table @samp
 
address@hidden -b
address@hidden @address@hidden@var{method}]}
address@hidden -b
address@hidden --backup
address@hidden VERSION_CONTROL
address@hidden backups, making
address@hidden options}.
-Make a backup of each file that would otherwise be overwritten or removed.
address@hidden
 
 @item -c
 @opindex -c
@@ -6630,19 +6657,9 @@ to when they were last installed.
 @cindex stripping symbol table information
 Strip the symbol tables from installed binary executables.
 
address@hidden -S @var{suffix}
address@hidden address@hidden
address@hidden -S
address@hidden --suffix
-Append @var{suffix} to each backup file made with @option{-b}.
address@hidden options}.
address@hidden
 
address@hidden @address@hidden@var{directory}}
address@hidden --target-directory
address@hidden target directory
address@hidden destination directory
-Specify the destination @var{directory}.
address@hidden directory}.
address@hidden
 
 @item -v
 @itemx --verbose
@@ -6650,14 +6667,7 @@ Specify the destination @var{directory}.
 @opindex --verbose
 Print the name of each file before copying it.
 
address@hidden -V @var{method}
address@hidden address@hidden
address@hidden -V
address@hidden --version-control
-Change the type of backups made with @option{-b}.  The @var{method}
-argument can be @samp{none} (or @samp{off}), @samp{numbered} (or
address@hidden), @samp{existing} (or @samp{nil}), or @samp{never} (or
address@hidden).  @xref{Backup options}.
address@hidden
 
 @end table
 
@@ -6712,14 +6722,7 @@ The program accepts the following option
 
 @table @samp
 
address@hidden -b
address@hidden @address@hidden@var{method}]}
address@hidden -b
address@hidden --backup
address@hidden VERSION_CONTROL
address@hidden backups, making
address@hidden options}.
-Make a backup of each file that would otherwise be overwritten or removed.
address@hidden
 
 @item -f
 @itemx --force
@@ -6760,34 +6763,13 @@ same or newer modification time.
 @opindex --verbose
 Print the name of each file before moving it.
 
address@hidden @address@hidden
address@hidden --strip-trailing-slashes
address@hidden stripping trailing slashes
-Remove any trailing slashes from each @var{source} argument.
address@hidden slashes}.
address@hidden
 
address@hidden -S @var{suffix}
address@hidden address@hidden
address@hidden -S
address@hidden --suffix
-Append @var{suffix} to each backup file made with @option{-b}.
address@hidden options}.
address@hidden
 
address@hidden @address@hidden@var{directory}}
address@hidden --target-directory
address@hidden target directory
address@hidden destination directory
-Specify the destination @var{directory}.
address@hidden directory}.
address@hidden
 
address@hidden -V @var{method}
address@hidden address@hidden
address@hidden -V
address@hidden --version-control
-Change the type of backups made with @option{-b}.  The @var{method}
-argument can be @samp{none} (or @samp{off}), @samp{numbered} (or
address@hidden), @samp{existing} (or @samp{nil}), or @samp{never} (or
address@hidden).  @xref{Backup options}.
address@hidden
 
 @end table
 
@@ -7244,14 +7226,7 @@ The program accepts the following option
 
 @table @samp
 
address@hidden -b
address@hidden @address@hidden@var{method}]}
address@hidden -b
address@hidden --backup
address@hidden VERSION_CONTROL
address@hidden backups, making
address@hidden options}.
-Make a backup of each file that would otherwise be overwritten or removed.
address@hidden
 
 @item -d
 @itemx -F
@@ -7302,19 +7277,9 @@ just like a directory.
 Make symbolic links instead of hard links.  This option merely produces
 an error message on systems that do not support symbolic links.
 
address@hidden -S @var{suffix}
address@hidden address@hidden
address@hidden -S
address@hidden --suffix
-Append @var{suffix} to each backup file made with @option{-b}.
address@hidden options}.
address@hidden
 
address@hidden @address@hidden@var{directory}}
address@hidden --target-directory
address@hidden target directory
address@hidden destination directory
-Specify the destination @var{directory}.
address@hidden directory}.
address@hidden
 
 @item -v
 @itemx --verbose
@@ -7322,14 +7287,7 @@ Specify the destination @var{directory}.
 @opindex --verbose
 Print the name of each file before linking it.
 
address@hidden -V @var{method}
address@hidden address@hidden
address@hidden -V
address@hidden --version-control
-Change the type of backups made with @option{-b}.  The @var{method}
-argument can be @samp{none} (or @samp{off}), @samp{numbered} (or
address@hidden), @samp{existing} (or @samp{nil}), or @samp{never} (or
address@hidden).  @xref{Backup options}.
address@hidden
 
 @end table
 
@@ -8257,24 +8215,11 @@ only included if this option is specifie
 Scale sizes by @var{size} before printing them (@pxref{Block size}).
 For example, @option{-BG} prints sizes in units of 1,073,741,824 bytes.
 
address@hidden -h
address@hidden --human-readable
address@hidden -h
address@hidden --human-readable
address@hidden human-readable output
-Append a size letter to each size, such as @samp{M} for mebibytes.
-Powers of 1024 are used, not 1000; @samp{M} stands for 1,048,576 bytes.
-Use the @option{-H} or @option{--si} option if you prefer powers of 1000.
address@hidden
 
 @item -H
address@hidden --si
 @opindex -H
address@hidden --si
address@hidden SI output
-Append an SI-style abbreviation to each size, such as @samp{MB} for
-megabytes.  Powers of 1000 are used, not 1024; @samp{MB} stands for
-1,000,000 bytes.  Use the @option{-h} or @option{--human-readable} option if
-you prefer powers of 1024.
+Equivalent to @option{--si}.
 
 @item -i
 @itemx --inodes
@@ -8330,6 +8275,8 @@ some network mounts), the columns are mi
 The labels in the header output line are changed to conform to @acronym{POSIX}.
 @end enumerate
 
address@hidden
+
 @item --sync
 @opindex --sync
 @cindex filesystem space, retrieving current data more slowly
@@ -8485,14 +8432,7 @@ Does not affect other symbolic links.  T
 out the disk usage of directories, such as @file{/usr/tmp}, which
 are often symbolic links.
 
address@hidden -h
address@hidden --human-readable
address@hidden -h
address@hidden --human-readable
address@hidden human-readable output
-Append a size letter to each size, such as @samp{M} for mebibytes.
-Powers of 1024 are used, not 1000; @samp{M} stands for 1,048,576 bytes.
-Use the @option{--si} option if you prefer powers of 1000.
address@hidden
 
 @item -H
 @opindex -H