Re: numfmt (=print 'human' sizes) updates

[Pádraig Brady]

On 12/22/2012 12:51 AM, Assaf Gordon wrote:
> Hello Pádraig,
>
> Thanks for the review and the feedback.
>
> Pádraig Brady wrote, On 12/21/2012 12:42 PM:
> > It's looking like a really useful cohesive command.
>
> The attached patch addresses the following issues:
>
> 1. changed the "---devdebug" option
> 2. incorporated most of 'indent -nut' recommendations.
> 3. improved the usage string, to generate somewhat better man page.
>    (help2man is a bit finicky about formatting, so it's not optimal).

Yes it's awkward to work around the help2man constraints.

> 4. "i" suffix with "iec" input/output:
>
> I understand the reason for always adding "i", as it is The Right Thing to do.
> But I think some (most?) people still treat single-letter suffix (K/M/G/T/etc.) as a 
> valid suffix for both SI and IEC, and deduce the scale from the context of whatever 
> they're working on. Forcing them to use "Ki" might be too obtrusive.
> It could also mess-up automated scripted, when IEC scale is needed, but only 
> with single-letter suffix (and there are many programs like that).
>
> As a compromise, I've added yet another scale option: "ieci" .
> When used with "--from=ieci", a two-letter suffix is required.
> When used with "--to=ieci", "i" will always be appended.
>
> Examples:
> ====
> $ ./src/numfmt --to=iec 4096
> 4.0K
> $ ./src/numfmt --to=ieci 4096
> 4.0Ki
> $ ./src/numfmt --from=iec 4K
> 4096
> $ ./src/numfmt --from=ieci 4Ki
> 4096
> $ ./src/numfmt --from=auto 4Ki
> 4096
> $ ./src/numfmt --from=auto 4K
> 4000
>
> # 'ieci' requires the 'i':
> $ ./src/numfmt --from=ieci 4K
> ./src/numfmt: missing 'i' suffix in input: '4K' (e.g Ki/Mi/Gi)
>
> # 'iec' does not accept 'i':
> $ ./src/numfmt --from=iec 4Ki
> ./src/numfmt: invalid suffix in input '4Ki': 'i'
> ====
>
> I hope this cover all the options, while maintaining consistent and expected 
> behavior.
> (Optionally, we can change "iec" to behave like "ieci", and rename "ieci" to 
> something else).

I like the 'ieci' compromise.
Also because it has two 'i's in it, there will be
less confusion as to which is which between 'si' and 'ieci'.
I suppose an alternative to 'ieci' is 'ibi', but I slightly
prefer your 'ieci'.

> I will send "--format" and error message updates soon.

thanks!
Pádraig.