🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1990Nov16.234820.14783@msuinfo.cl.msu.edu> jap@convex.cl.msu.edu (Joe Porkka) writes:
> 
> What happens when your wildcard matches 5000 files? makes for an
> awful LONG command line. (/bin/csh in UNIX simply complains
> about line to long and aborts)

Recompile the shell, specifying a larger cmd line buffer.  I think we use
around 64K now on our UTS(tm) systems.


> What do you do when you want to match * */* */*/* ..... without
> knowing how deep you need to go? (this can be fixed by doing something
> like */.../* I suppose - but it aint done now).

Use "find" (several such cmds are available on the Amiga).


The biggest problem with leaving wildcard expansion up to each application
is that it means each application needs to do the job in exactly the same
way in order to provide a consistent environment.  And that is asking a lot,
IMO.  Minor issues like making each executable bigger, etc. can also be
mentioned, but are secondary (again, IMO).  [ And I do not mean to imply
that UNIX(R) is totally consistent in this regard ... :-) ]

With the shell doing the expansion, individual cmds need only be designed
to handle multiple agruments.


Now here's a question for you ... how many programs that are out there that
perform their own wildcard expansion will break when (and if) links to
directories are provided?  How long do you think it will be before all of
them get updated to account for the new feature (if ever)?

Granted, shells will need maintenance to accomodate such new features too,
but with shells doing the expansion, it only need to be done in ONE place
(per shell) with the change being "transparent" to (most) commands.


I realize this is a religious issue, and I'm not likely to change anyone's
mind ... much less AmigaShell's way of doing things, nor CBM's philosophy
on such issues, but every once-in-awhile I feel the need to proselytize
just a little bit.  Ah ... if only we'd had CAOS to begin with ...!


BTW, does the SetDate command handle wildcards under 2.0 ... of at least
multiple args?

/kim

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