Re: [PATCH] Fix bug when attempting to echo special sequences literally. -- [RESUBMISSION]

[Adam Rosenwald]

I left out some <very important> curly braces.  Here's the working patch:

=== BEGIN PATCH ===

--- echo.c.orig    2008-03-13 01:59:22.000000000 -0400
+++ echo.c    2008-03-13 01:59:37.000000000 -0400
@@ -145,6 +145,7 @@
    parse_long_options (argc, argv, PROGRAM_NAME, PACKAGE_NAME, VERSION,
            usage, AUTHORS, (char const *) NULL);

+  char first=1;
  --argc;
  ++argv;

@@ -154,6 +155,15 @@
    char const *temp = argv[0] + 1;
    size_t i;

+        if (first == 1) {
+          first = 0;
+          if (temp[0] == '-') {
+            --argc;
+            ++argv;
+            goto just_echo;
+          }
+        }
+
    /* If it appears that we are handling options, then make sure that
       all of the options specified are actually valid.  Otherwise, the
       string should just be echoed.  */

=== END PATCH ===

Adam Rosenwald wrote:
> Try using echo to output the string '-e' or '-E' or '-n' literally.  
> You can't.  Furthermore try executing `echo -e [-eEn]...`.  Nothing 
> but a blank line.
>
> The patch below utilizes a familiar technique (used, e.g., in grep) to 
> escape arguments; however, admittedly it can be rendered more elegant. :)
>
> This was patched against the 03/12/08 coreutils GIT version; however, 
> echo.c doesn't appear to have changed substantively for years.
>
> === BEGIN PATCH ===
>
> --- echo.c.orig    2008-03-13 01:33:08.000000000 -0400
> +++ echo.c    2008-03-13 01:35:04.000000000 -0400
> @@ -145,6 +145,7 @@
>     parse_long_options (argc, argv, PROGRAM_NAME, PACKAGE_NAME, VERSION,
>             usage, AUTHORS, (char const *) NULL);
>
> +  char first=1;
>   --argc;
>   ++argv;
>
> @@ -154,6 +155,14 @@
>     char const *temp = argv[0] + 1;
>     size_t i;
>
> +        if (first == 1) {
> +          first = 0;
> +          if (temp[0] == '-')
> +            --argc;
> +            ++argv;
> +            goto just_echo;
> +        }
> +
>     /* If it appears that we are handling options, then make sure that
>        all of the options specified are actually valid.  Otherwise, the
>        string should just be echoed.  */
>
> === END PATCH ===
>
>
> Regards,
>
> - A.