Re: allow xargs to read from file

[Tim Waugh]

On Thu, Aug 19, 2004 at 10:31:46PM +0200, Christer Ekholm wrote:

> > includes a patch to allow xargs to read from a file instead of
> > standard input.  This would allow interactive commands to be executed
> > by xargs, and I think that would be useful.
[...]
> I see no reason for it. Your shell is perfectly capable of redirecting
> the input from a file.
> 
> I can't se what you gain by writing:
> 
> $ xargs -a file_with_args command
> 
> instead of just:
> 
> $ xargs command < file_with_args

See above: the important word is "interactive".  If 'command' is an
interactive program, such as gdb or gpg, redirecting standard input
renders them useless.

With current CVS they will be reading from /dev/null.

Tim.
*/

pgpMFip2qhgXL.pgp
Description: PGP signature