Package: grep Severity: wishlist --- Please enter the report below this line. ---
Please provide a grep-full package that:
- has a grep compiled with all the options that the regular grep misses like
--perl, and others, if any;
- installs the new grep in /usr/bin/grep so that, if installed on a system the
new grep would take precedence over
/bin/grep (the current binary).
- does NOT conflict in any way with the grep package
Also the addition of such a package would render useless the pcregrep package.
Thanks in advance.
IRC discussion quoted for reference:
<eddyp> why is "--perl" not supported for grep ?
<peterS> eddyp: not compiled in, because grep is in the base system and someone
didn't want libpcre to be in the base
system. I think.
<eddyp> peterS: hmm, couldn't a grep with perl be packaged?
<eddyp> and that should divert the regular grep
<eddyp> peterS: does that sound sane?
<peterS> eddyp: it could. they might call it 'pcregrep'. ask apt-cache if
this has been thought of (:
<peterS> (though it doesn't divert grep, it's a separate app)
<eddyp> peterS: heh, it could divert it...
<peterS> eddyp: well, but pcregrep doesn't provide the rest of grep's
functionality, only --perl
<vorlon> no, it couldn't
<eddyp> bah
<vorlon> that would break boot of systems that need a working /bin/grep before
/usr is mounted
<eddyp> vorlon: then let's use unionfs :-D
<jcristau> ... not
<peterS> no need for a unionfs, just install as /usr/bin/grep
<peterS> that comes earlier in the path
<eddyp> peterS: fair enough
<peterS> might cause some confusion, though. bad enough when people install
'time' and then can't figure out why it
doesn't work as documented, because they have a 'time' bash builtin
<eddyp> peterS: as long as /usr/bin/grep is a superset of /bin/grep that
shouldn't be a real problem (except maybe cases
when /bin/grep is called explicitly)
<peterS> well, and if you hardcode the path as /bin/grep, you shouldn't be
relying on --perl today anyway
<eddyp> that was my point ;-)
<eddyp> if you use "grep" you can expect /bin/grep functionality, at a minimum
<peterS> I'll never understand why AIX has separate / and /usr filesystems by
default yet also has a /bin -> usr/bin symlink
<eddyp> but you could have other nice thingd
* Seb ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) has joined #debian-devel
<peterS> I mean, the point, it is lost
<eddyp> peterS: heritage?
<peterS> perhaps, but it still makes no sense to me
<peterS> I guess they have to rely on the executables in /sbin or in /etc
before /usr is mounted
* eddyp thinks, probably the binary grep package with --perl should be
generated from the same source as our current grep
<LarstiQ> the executables, zey belong in /etc
<peterS> eddyp: sure. but what package name?
<peterS> grep-pcre?
<eddyp> fullgrep?
<eddyp> grep-full?
--- System information. ---
Architecture: amd64
Kernel: Linux 2.6.18-4-amd64
Debian Release: 4.0
900 stable snapshot.debian.net
900 stable security.debian.org
900 stable ftp.ro.debian.org
900 stable eddyp.homelinux.net
--- Package information. ---
Depends (Version) | Installed
=======================-+-===========
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