multiple inputs / outputs through descriptors

[textutils1]

 Hi,

  Since I didn't find textutils / coreutils discussion list
(only coreutils-announce), and this is more of a technical
implementation / feature issue, I'm writing this into
bug-textutils. Please forward / repost where appropriate or
let me know.


 Here it is:

  Background:

 Too often do I create a temporary file because a 
process requires more than one input data stream (one data 
stream is available, usually called "STDIN" or "Standard 
Input"). But e.g. diff takes two and diff3 takes three.


  Idea / proposal: 

  Standardize throughout GNU utils (just like long options 
have been standardized) a descriptor input / output syntax. 
e.g. I could write (in bash) something like this :

 ( process1 --output 3>&1 ; process2 --output 4>&1 ) | diff --input-file %3% 
--input-file %4%

  So each GNU utility (at least coreutils / textutils) would 
have the standard option --input-file which would recognize 
the string %_number_% as a descriptor number.
 Perhaps there could also be an equivalent short option
like "-%3%"

 The same thing could be applied to outputs :

( process1 3>&1 ; process2 4>&1 ) | a_util -%3% -%4% -o - --log1 %5% --log2 %6% 
| diff3 - -%5% -%6%

 It would be such a relief not having to create temp files ...


  Has this been someplace discussed and officially decided 
upon ? Where ? (I googled but didn't feel lucky :( )


    Thanks,

       John



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