Re: Feature Request: env -f to read from file

[Pádraig Brady]

On 29/03/2024 05:05, Kaz Kylheku wrote:
> On 2024-03-28 15:29, Balakrishnan Balasubramanian wrote:
> > On 2024-03-28 3:38 p.m., Pádraig Brady wrote:
> > > Yes the feature has merit, and was previously discussed at:
> > > https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/coreutils/2021-10/msg00001.html
> > > There are some subtleties to consider though.
> >
> > Indeed there are subtleties to consider. Thank you pointing previous discussion.
> > For the first revision, it can be stricter but leave room for improved features 
> > later without breaking backwards compatibility.
> >
> > 1. Support empty lines comments in separate lines.
> >
> >      <optional whitespace># comment text
>
> In my opinion, the file should have exactly the same format as /proc/environ on 
> Linux.
>
> env-file := { var-name '=' { non-null-byte } * '\0'} *
>
> I.e. we already have a widely used data format in which environments are 
> represented as files, albeit virtual ones.
>
> No need to invent anything.
>
> > 4. Literal backslah (\) should be escaped. Otherwise error
>
> No escaping nonsense. Null termination is all the escape you need.

An interesting suggestion thanks.
Note env also has the -0 option, which might enable that mode?

Referencing the later thread for my previous thoughts on the subject:
https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/coreutils/2022-01/msg00033.html

cheers,
Pádraig