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ID Category Severity Type Date Submitted Last Update
0000168 [1003.1(2008)/Issue 7] Shell and Utilities Objection Error 2009-10-13 09:16 2013-04-16 13:06
Reporter geoffclare View Status public  
Assigned To ajosey
Priority normal Resolution Accepted  
Status Closed  
Name Geoff Clare
Organization The Open Group
User Reference
Section 2.9.1.1
Page Number 2317,2318
Line Number 73143,73165
Interp Status Approved
Final Accepted Text Note: 0000282
Summary 0000168: Incorrect description of how the shell executes external utilities
Description XCU 2.9.1.1 Command Search and Execution says (in item 1.d.i.b):

    ... the shell executes the utility in a separate utility
    environment (see Section 2.12, on page 2331) with actions
    equivalent to calling the execve() function as defined in the
    System Interfaces volume of POSIX.1-2008 with the path argument
    set to the pathname resulting from the search, arg0 set to the
    command name, and the remaining arguments set to the operands,
    if any.

This refers to execve(), but the description of what is passed
to it matches the arguments for execl(), not execve(). It also
requires only the _operands_ to be passed, omitting any options
(and the "--" delimiter if present). This defect goes all the
way back to POSIX.2-1992.

Item 2 in the same section also has the same problems.

While fixing this, we should also address the issue raised on the
mailing list in July 2009 regarding passing on invalid environment
variables. The changes I have suggested allow both types of
existing practice.
Desired Action 
At line 73143 change:

    calling the execve() function as defined in the System Interfaces
    volume of POSIX.1-2008 with the path argument set to the pathname
    resulting from the search, arg0 set to the command name, and the
    remaining arguments set to the operands, if any.

to:

    calling the execl() function as defined in the System Interfaces
    volume of POSIX.1-2008 with the path argument set to the pathname
    resulting from the search, arg0 set to the command name, and the
    remaining execl() arguments set to the command arguments (if any)
    and the null terminator.

At line 73147 change:

    If the execve() function fails

to:

    If the execl() function fails

After line 73155 add a new paragraph (indented the same as the
previous paragraph):

    It is unspecified whether environment variables that were passed
    to the shell when it was invoked, but were not used to initialize
    shell variables (see [xref to 2.5.3]) because they had invalid
    names, are included in the environment passed to execl() and (if
    execl() fails as described above) to the new shell.

At line 73165 change:

    calling the execve() function defined in the System Interfaces
    volume of POSIX.1-2008 with the path and arg0 arguments set to the
    command name, and the remaining arguments set to the operands, if
    any.

to:

    calling the execl() function as defined in the System Interfaces
    volume of POSIX.1-2008 with the path and arg0 arguments set to the
    command name, and the remaining execl() arguments set to the
    command arguments (if any) and the null terminator.

At line 73169 change:

    If the execve() function fails

to:

    If the execl() function fails

After line 73173 add a new paragraph (indented the same as the
previous paragraph):

    It is unspecified whether environment variables that were passed
    to the shell when it was invoked, but were not used to initialize
    shell variables (see [xref to 2.5.3]) because they had invalid
    names, are included in the environment passed to execl() and (if
    execl() fails as described above) to the new shell.

Tags tc1-2008
Attached Files

- Relationships

-  Notes
(0000282)
ajosey (manager)
2009-11-05 16:41
edited on: 2009-11-06 06:58

 Interpretation response
------------------------

The standard states the requirements for how the shell executes external utilities, and conforming implementations must
conform to this. However, concerns have been raised about this
which are being referred to the sponsor.


Rationale:
-------------
None.

Notes to the Editor (not part of this interpretation):
-------------------------------------------------------

Make the change suggested by the submitter

- Issue History
Date Modified Username Field Change
2009-10-13 09:16 geoffclare New Issue
2009-10-13 09:16 geoffclare Status New => Under Review
2009-10-13 09:16 geoffclare Assigned To => ajosey
2009-10-13 09:16 geoffclare Name => Geoff Clare
2009-10-13 09:16 geoffclare Organization => The Open Group
2009-10-13 09:16 geoffclare Section => 2.9.1.1
2009-10-13 09:16 geoffclare Page Number => 2317,2318
2009-10-13 09:16 geoffclare Line Number => 73143,73165
2009-10-13 09:16 geoffclare Interp Status => ---
2009-11-05 16:41 ajosey Interp Status --- => Pending
2009-11-05 16:41 ajosey Note Added: 0000282
2009-11-05 16:41 ajosey Status Under Review => Interpretation Required
2009-11-05 16:41 ajosey Resolution Open => Accepted
2009-11-06 06:58 ajosey Note Edited: 0000282
2009-11-06 06:58 ajosey Interp Status Pending => Proposed
2009-11-06 09:31 geoffclare Final Accepted Text => Note: 0000282
2009-12-07 16:55 ajosey Interp Status Proposed => Approved
2010-09-21 11:29 geoffclare Tag Attached: tc1-2008
2013-04-16 13:06 ajosey Status Interpretation Required => Closed

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