Hi, An assignment to the LANG variable appears to have no effect when executed in the same 'simple command' as the 'printf' built-in.
How to reproduce: - Use bash-4.1 or bash-3.2.39. - On a system with a German (or French) locale installed. $ unset LC_ALL LC_NUMERIC $ export LANG=de_DE.UTF-8 $ printf '%.4f\n' 1 1,0000 # correct $ LANG=C printf '%.4f\n' 1 1,0000 # should be 1.0000 $ LANG=C /usr/bin/printf '%.4f\n' 1 1.0000 # correct $ env LANG=C printf '%.4f\n' 1 1.0000 # correct $ (LANG=C; printf '%.4f\n' 1) 1.0000 # correct Similarly for LC_ALL instead of LANG. Rationale: POSIX:2008 description of the execution of simple commands. Section 2.9.1 in <http://www.opengroup.org/onlinepubs/9699919799/utilities/V3_chap02.html>. "A "simple command" is a sequence of optional variable assignments and redirections, in any sequence, optionally followed by words and redirections, terminated by a control operator. ... the following expansions, assignments, and redirections shall all be performed from the beginning of the command text to the end: 1. The words that are recognized as variable assignments or redirections according to Shell Grammar Rules are saved for processing in steps 3 and 4. ... 4. Each variable assignment shall be expanded for tilde expansion, parameter expansion, command substitution, arithmetic expansion, and quote removal prior to assigning the value. ... If no command name results, variable assignments shall affect the current execution environment. Otherwise, the variable assignments shall be exported for the execution environment of the command and shall not affect the current execution environment (except for special built-ins)." So, in the simple command "LANG=C printf '%.4f\n' 1" the LANG=C assignment should be effective for the execution of the printf command. Regardless whether it is built-in or not, because the cited text does not make a distinction between built-ins and other commands. Bruno
