From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.4.4 (2020-01-24) on inbox.vuxu.org X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=-1.1 required=5.0 tests=DKIM_SIGNED,DKIM_VALID, DKIM_VALID_AU,FREEMAIL_FROM,HTML_MESSAGE,MAILING_LIST_MULTI, RCVD_IN_DNSWL_NONE autolearn=ham autolearn_force=no version=3.4.4 Received: (qmail 18292 invoked from network); 28 May 2020 13:09:18 -0000 Received: from minnie.tuhs.org (45.79.103.53) by inbox.vuxu.org with ESMTPUTF8; 28 May 2020 13:09:18 -0000 Received: by minnie.tuhs.org (Postfix, from userid 112) id E2C5D9C865; Thu, 28 May 2020 23:09:15 +1000 (AEST) Received: from minnie.tuhs.org (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by minnie.tuhs.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 45D929C5E8; Thu, 28 May 2020 23:08:55 +1000 (AEST) Authentication-Results: minnie.tuhs.org; dkim=pass (2048-bit key; unprotected) header.d=gmail.com header.i=@gmail.com header.b="cI6OQgnE"; dkim-atps=neutral Received: by minnie.tuhs.org (Postfix, from userid 112) id 50E779C5E8; Thu, 28 May 2020 23:08:52 +1000 (AEST) Received: from mail-ua1-f51.google.com (mail-ua1-f51.google.com [209.85.222.51]) by minnie.tuhs.org (Postfix) with ESMTPS id B14FA9C194 for ; Thu, 28 May 2020 23:08:51 +1000 (AEST) Received: by mail-ua1-f51.google.com with SMTP id g7so9611355uap.7 for ; Thu, 28 May 2020 06:08:51 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20161025; h=mime-version:references:in-reply-to:from:date:message-id:subject:to :cc; bh=NHMr56qbVBs7VmcQUee9k+HyXHtWW77xArmhr5CPfh4=; b=cI6OQgnE5lCKFyfv73g8Kf6UPB/Zf7ow7HOFBeq056HO01uAPYgK3qIUDpf3VDtGqQ synD2lQ1353Gw9AU7+kJeh13QRnAN8McUfE9J8rPi+FQ5axPmv5lhnxPeOG8GSfTG4vX CH3I/YCv1kbRR+Lt3F+uH1u5Qko07M5/gugIyD7SGHR2h8PEMQITxHh9q/0C76OAIxkQ xwh88vF+Uz5zOdPb2IXYWyJ051zop+XM8/DMzgNbkEtQkVIUIppf+D0BoLd6vpWHlR2s LujNMCSYgOXWhjcs5crMLFnc8PF76AgNFlIXE8egRbe37Gdt6Y7Q4WC6Bt3Nkj7eTwe3 xwNQ== X-Google-DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=1e100.net; s=20161025; h=x-gm-message-state:mime-version:references:in-reply-to:from:date :message-id:subject:to:cc; bh=NHMr56qbVBs7VmcQUee9k+HyXHtWW77xArmhr5CPfh4=; b=KU9pFH5zvKXmOVPWSoOfuoJpE59oZKXV1lccVgCUDrogBJKAGKVtVA8Cr/D9+ZX92l BOD2MvCuFmy33Rw5IksMhB4koAWw4ejoZKvo7EcfaHL5rp2iVv+GXXqd0aiXkeLDkkKz IifUONezhe79mSPo92UqYteza2s/sPGIglfPZip254QE/uNc0H/cMxQhFUyoaLcWrZ+3 s7o8P2Ryr9EVMloc/uASs8jRlUNd2ny2oDuAxX68tP6beldqwe64jwCjv3e0C5b7cb4J hnLMsuVxLna78OnxXJIGSzz6b3H4bjg47YE7LPcO7JoFgULk/s8djPZROuubWsEloDEn 02WQ== X-Gm-Message-State: AOAM530yubZN1CAKkxAn3XdUtQSJ6IXHOJGSMKvga+wwr+VX7fMfIrac jo0f9F/UUpkNKuAUL20QmH2Ifuib5Up81ZFFb7C/wn+E X-Google-Smtp-Source: ABdhPJxs8wB2SD50j2LET0sAcbA7R9Um+keVyNrGvsdoQM4H6eB2VN3gc+3X6RoX4TptfpKz6FdczYCOOSsSmJLZEBI= X-Received: by 2002:ab0:5642:: with SMTP id z2mr1828779uaa.6.1590671330611; Thu, 28 May 2020 06:08:50 -0700 (PDT) MIME-Version: 1.0 References: <1jeHk5-5LM-00@marmaro.de> In-Reply-To: <1jeHk5-5LM-00@marmaro.de> From: Rob Pike Date: Thu, 28 May 2020 23:08:39 +1000 Message-ID: To: markus schnalke Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="0000000000009d966605a6b50737" Subject: Re: [TUHS] fmt(1): history, POSIX, -t, -c X-BeenThere: tuhs@minnie.tuhs.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.26 Precedence: list List-Id: The Unix Heritage Society mailing list List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Cc: The Eunuchs Hysterical Society Errors-To: tuhs-bounces@minnie.tuhs.org Sender: "TUHS" --0000000000009d966605a6b50737 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" I looked in my manuals. Fmt(1) first appears in Research 9th edition. I have vague memories that it was written by Tom Duff, but a) I could misremember and b) I also have vague memories it was not original. If both memories are accurate, it's just a simple command written in two different places, one being a distorted echo of another. Much like the make td wrote at UofT after hearing about Stu's. Nothing nefarious. -rob On Thu, May 28, 2020 at 10:41 PM markus schnalke wrote: > Hoi, > > personally I use fmt(1) a lot for email formatting and such. > Typically I only use the `-w' parameter. Now someone asked me about > `-t' and `-c' of *GNU* fmt(1). I wasn't able to find good documentation > on them. The manpage only tells that they have to do with different > indentation for the first or first two lines. But what are the use > cases? How would source text for these parameters look like? > > A look into the description and rationale sections of POSIX, which > often provides helpful information, was not possible because fmt(1) > is not part of POSIX (only fold(1) is). Why's that? Is it because > fmt(1) differs so much between Unix implementations? On BSD `-c' > centers text and `-t' sets tab widths. Plan 9 has none of these > options. But still, `-w' could have been standardized. Or was the > line filling algorithm different as well? How does fold(1) fit into > the picture? > > Maybe you can answer some of these questions or give hints on where > I could find answers myself. > > > meillo > --0000000000009d966605a6b50737 Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
I looked in my manuals. Fmt(1) first appears in Research 9= th edition. I have vague memories that it was written by Tom Duff, but a) I= could misremember and b) I also have vague memories it was not original. I= f both memories are accurate, it's just a simple command written in two= different places, one being a distorted echo of another. Much like the mak= e td wrote at UofT after hearing about Stu's.

Nothin= g nefarious.

-rob

On Thu, = May 28, 2020 at 10:41 PM markus schnalke <meillo@marmaro.de> wrote:
Hoi,

personally I use fmt(1) a lot for email formatting and such.
Typically I only use the `-w' parameter. Now someone asked me about
`-t' and `-c' of *GNU* fmt(1). I wasn't able to find good docum= entation
on them. The manpage only tells that they have to do with different
indentation for the first or first two lines. But what are the use
cases? How would source text for these parameters look like?

A look into the description and rationale sections of POSIX, which
often provides helpful information, was not possible because fmt(1)
is not part of POSIX (only fold(1) is). Why's that? Is it because
fmt(1) differs so much between Unix implementations? On BSD `-c'
centers text and `-t' sets tab widths. Plan 9 has none of these
options. But still, `-w' could have been standardized. Or was the
line filling algorithm different as well? How does fold(1) fit into
the picture?

Maybe you can answer some of these questions or give hints on where
I could find answers myself.


meillo
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