View Issue Details
| ID | Project | Category | View Status | Date Submitted | Last Update |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0001984 | 1003.1(2024)/Issue8 | Shell and Utilities | public | 2026-06-13 03:14 | 2026-06-18 16:22 |
| Reporter | hvd | Assigned To | |||
| Priority | normal | Severity | Objection | Type | Clarification Requested |
| Status | Interpretation Required | Resolution | Accepted As Marked | ||
| Name | hvd | ||||
| Organization | |||||
| User Reference | |||||
| Section | command utility | ||||
| Page Number | 2728 | ||||
| Line Number | 90105 | ||||
| Interp Status | Pending | ||||
| Final Accepted Text | see 0001984:0007442 | ||||
| Summary | 0001984: Ambiguous requirements for command -v on printing absolute pathnames | ||||
| Description | The requirements for command -v read: - Executable utilities, regular built-in utilities, command_names including a <slash> character, and any implementation-provided functions that are found using the PATH variable (as described in 2.9.1.4 Command Search and Execution), shall be written as absolute pathnames. This is ambiguous as to whether "that are found using the PATH variable" applies to "Executable utilities, regular built-in utilities, command_names including a <slash> character, and any implementation-provided functions", or only to "any implementation-provided functions". Given that "command_names including a <slash> character" are never looked up using the PATH variable (as pointed out by Herbert Xu on the dash mailing list), the intent must be that "that are found using the PATH variable" applies only to "any implementation-provided functions", but at least one shell (bash) does not currently write command_names including a <slash> character as absolute pathnames, even in POSIX mode, and in my opinion, the current text of the standard does not say it should. | ||||
| Desired Action | Change - Executable utilities, regular built-in utilities, command_names including a <slash> character, and any implementation-provided functions that are found using the PATH variable (as described in 2.9.1.4 Command Search and Execution), shall be written as absolute pathnames. to - Executable utilities, regular built-in utilities, and command_names including a <slash> character, shall be written as absolute pathnames. - Any implementation-provided functions that are found using the PATH variable (as described in 2.9.1.4 Command Search and Execution) shall be written as absolute pathnames. | ||||
| Tags | No tags attached. | ||||
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Interpretation response ------------------------ The standard is unclear on this issue, and no conformance distinction can be made between alternative implementations based on this. This is being referred to the sponsor. Rationale: ------------- As described, the sentence is ambiguous, and different shells have chosen different implementation strategies. Notes to the Editor (not part of this interpretation): ------------------------------------------------------- On page 2728, lines 90105-90111, Change
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| Date Modified | Username | Field | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-13 03:14 | hvd | New Issue | |
| 2026-06-18 16:21 | nick | Note Added: 0007442 | |
| 2026-06-18 16:22 | nick | Status | New => Interpretation Required |
| 2026-06-18 16:22 | nick | Resolution | Open => Accepted As Marked |
| 2026-06-18 16:22 | nick | Page Number | - => 2728 |
| 2026-06-18 16:22 | nick | Line Number | - => 90105 |
| 2026-06-18 16:22 | nick | Interp Status | => Pending |
| 2026-06-18 16:22 | nick | Final Accepted Text | => see 0001984:0007442 |
