avoiding recursion in functions

avoiding recursion in functions

[Brendan Kehoe]

 I had this defined:

	fn rm { rm -i }

 which is wrong -- it'll constantly call itself & spiral into
 oblivion.  How can I avoid the second rm being interpreted as the
 function, and instead have it run through the path for it?  (I'd like
 to avoid putting the explicit path in there.)

--
Brendan Kehoe, Sun Network Manager                      brendan@cs.widener.edu
Widener University                                                 Chester, PA
``The reference section discusses Calc in complete depth.''...complete depth?
                                                          -- Calc 2.00 manual

Re: avoiding recursion in functions

[Robert Earl]

|  I had this defined:
| 
| 	fn rm { rm -i }
| 
|  which is wrong -- it'll constantly call itself & spiral into
|  oblivion.  How can I avoid the second rm being interpreted as the
|  function, and instead have it run through the path for it?  (I'd like
|  to avoid putting the explicit path in there.)

fn rm { builtin rm -i $* }	# I suppose you did want $* there?  :)

To quote from TFM:

     builtin command [arg ...]
          Executes the command ignoring any  function  definition
          of  the  same  name.   This command is present to allow
          functions with the same names as builtins  to  use  the
          underlying builtin or binary.