Some programs like dd often run in a pipe. It can be argued that if incorrect command-lines are given, the error should indeed go to standard error. My feeling is that errors should go to standard error and --help should go to standard output since the --help option is exclusive. This is how most GNU tools behave but it can not be relied upon. Many programmers argue that help text for a filter should go to standard error to prevent usage information being inadvertantly written to a pipe. Perhapse they need their head read but there is method in the madness. Regards, Kerry. On Fri, Mar 29, 2002 at 09:49:55AM +1000, Geoff Shang wrote: > On Wed, 27 Mar 2002, Toby Fisher wrote: > > > uOn Wed, 27 Mar 2002, Kerry Hoath wrote: > > > > > To make a command show usage and page the result do this: > > > ls --help 2>&1|less > > > the 2>&1 redirects standard error to standard output so you can page the result > > > through a pager. > > > > Hmm, have never needed the 2>&1, don't know what I'll be missing then. > > *grin* > > Some programs send their help text to standard error, rather than standard > output. I personally think that people who do this should have their head > read. At any rate, the 2>&1 is needed for these programs to send standard > error to standard output. > > Geoff. > > > _______________________________________________ > Speakup mailing list > Speakup at braille.uwo.ca > http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup > -- Kerry Hoath: kerry at gotss.net kerry at gotss.eu.org or kerry at gotss.spice.net.au ICQ: 8226547 msn: kerry at gotss.net Yahoo: kerryhoath at yahoo.com.au
