[bug #15360] Erroneous message

[anonymous]

Follow-up Comment #2, bug #15360 (project findutils):

I checked man find and searched for the word "global" because you used that
word in your reply. The word "global" doesn't exist in my version (Fedora
Core 4) of find(1).

After your explanation, I re-read man find and discovered the following:
Except for -follow and -daystart, they always  take  effect, rather than
being processed only when their place in the expression is reached. 
Therefore, for clarity, it  is  best  to place  them at the beginning of the
expression.  A warning is issued if you don’t do this.

Please don't take offense at what I'm about to say, as I'm trying to help.

That first sentence - "Except for ... is reached." - is a bit tortured for an
English speaker. After your explanation that global options exist, I conclude
that the sentence should read as follows:
"Except for -follow and -daystart, they always  take  effect globally, rather
than being positionally processed when their place in the expression is
reached."

The following sentences then make perfect sense, as global options logically
should be specified before other options and tests. Previously, I had no idea
that there were global options and regular options, and was always confused by
the two headings "OPTIONS" in the man page.

With that change, it would also make sense to re-title the section its in to
"GLOBAL OPTIONS" instead of just "OPTIONS" under a sub heading of
"EXPRESSIONS". And if "GLOBAL OPTIONS" should preceed regular "OPTIONS", then
if might be better to change the order they appear in within the man page to
reinforce the concept.

Also, it might help to put up a prototype statement such as:
find [global options] [options] tests actions ...
to again reinforce the concepts.

I now understand that it was a documentation issue I was having a problem
with, but I hope you can also see that the documentation as written is a bit
confusing.


    _______________________________________________________

Reply to this item at:

  <http://savannah.gnu.org/bugs/?func=detailitem&item_id=15360>

_______________________________________________
  Message sent via/by Savannah
  http://savannah.gnu.org/