Re: if then elif then else fi -- Problem report

[Eric Blake <eblake@redhat.com>]

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On 06/28/2010 06:56 AM, Malcolm Kay wrote:
> Should I create a problem report? Where should I send it?

You just did.

> The problem is that 'dash' bombs out with an empty list in:
> 
> if ...
> then
>   list
> elif ...
> then
>   list
> fi
> 
> or in:
> 
> if ...
> then
>   list
> else
>   list
> fi

POSIX requires a non-empty list in these syntax setups.

> The latter gives for example:
>   Syntax error: "else" unexpected.

Correct.

> Yet the man pages clearly state that a list consists of zero 
> or more commands --
> <quote>
> Lists -- Generally Speaking
>      A list is a sequence of zero or more commands separated by 
> newlines,

Therefore, the bug is in the man page.  Per POSIX,
http://www.opengroup.org/onlinepubs/9699919799/utilities/V3_chap02.html#tag_18_09_03
"A list is a sequence of one or more AND-OR lists separated by the
operators ';' and '&' and optionally terminated by ';' , '&' , or
<newline>."

-- 
Eric Blake   eblake@redhat.com    +1-801-349-2682
Libvirt virtualization library http://libvirt.org


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