Re: [bug-grep] Grep: Broken pipe error

[Paul Eggert]

"McCully, Dwayne (NIH/NLM/LHC)" <address@hidden> writes:

> After compiling grep 2.5.1a on Solaris 2.9, I try to use the grep program
> but get the follwing error:

>>% /site/bin/egrep MSHSPA /umls/Releases/2005AA/META/MRCONSO.RRF | head -1
>
> egrep: writing output: Broken pipe

Most likely you are ignoring the PIPE signal instead of the default
behavior (which is to exit).

For example, on my Solaris 9 box running grep 2.5.1a under Bash:

  $ grep . /etc/termcap | sed 1q
  # (((( start of locally maintained termcap entries
  $ trap '' PIPE
  $ grep . /etc/termcap | sed 1q
  grep: writing output: Broken pipe
  grep: writing output: Broken pipe
  grep: writing output: Broken pipe
  ...

The fix is to stop ignoring PIPE.