tests: use "compare exp out", not "compare out exp"

Likewise, when an empty file is expected, use "compare /dev/null out",
not "compare out /dev/null". I.e., specify the expected/desired contents
via the first file name.  Prompted by a suggestion from Bruno Haible
in http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.comp.gnu.grep.bugs/4020/focus=29154

Run these commands:

    git grep -l -E 'compare [^ ]+ exp' \
      |xargs perl -pi -e 's/(compare) (\S+) (exp\S*)/$1 $3 $2/'
    git grep -l -E 'compare [^ ]+ /dev/null' \
      |xargs perl -pi -e 's/(compare) (\S+) (\/dev\/null)/$1 $3 $2/'

* tests/chgrp/no-x: As above.
* tests/chmod/no-x: Likewise.
* tests/chmod/silent: Likewise.
* tests/chmod/thru-dangling: Likewise.
* tests/chown/basic: Likewise.
* tests/chown/deref: Likewise.
* tests/chown/preserve-root: Likewise.
* tests/cp/abuse: Likewise.
* tests/cp/backup-is-src: Likewise.
* tests/cp/cp-a-selinux: Likewise.
* tests/cp/cp-mv-enotsup-xattr: Likewise.
* tests/cp/fail-perm: Likewise.
* tests/cp/into-self: Likewise.
* tests/cp/proc-zero-len: Likewise.
* tests/cp/src-base-dot: Likewise.
* tests/cp/thru-dangling: Likewise.
* tests/dd/reblock: Likewise.
* tests/dd/unblock-sync: Likewise.
* tests/du/2g: Likewise.
* tests/du/8gb: Likewise.
* tests/du/basic: Likewise.
* tests/du/bigtime: Likewise.
* tests/du/deref-args: Likewise.
* tests/du/exclude: Likewise.
* tests/du/files0-from-dir: Likewise.
* tests/du/hard-link: Likewise.
* tests/du/inacc-dest: Likewise.
* tests/du/inacc-dir: Likewise.
* tests/du/long-sloop: Likewise.
* tests/du/max-depth: Likewise.
* tests/du/move-dir-while-traversing: Likewise.
* tests/du/no-deref: Likewise.
* tests/du/no-x: Likewise.
* tests/du/one-file-system: Likewise.
* tests/du/slash: Likewise.
* tests/du/trailing-slash: Likewise.
* tests/install/strip-program: Likewise.
* tests/ln/hard-backup: Likewise.
* tests/ls/block-size: Likewise.
* tests/ls/color-clear-to-eol: Likewise.
* tests/ls/color-dtype-dir: Likewise.
* tests/ls/color-norm: Likewise.
* tests/ls/dangle: Likewise.
* tests/ls/dired: Likewise.
* tests/ls/file-type: Likewise.
* tests/ls/follow-slink: Likewise.
* tests/ls/infloop: Likewise.
* tests/ls/m-option: Likewise.
* tests/ls/no-arg: Likewise.
* tests/ls/recursive: Likewise.
* tests/ls/rt-1: Likewise.
* tests/ls/stat-dtype: Likewise.
* tests/ls/stat-failed: Likewise.
* tests/ls/stat-free-symlinks: Likewise.
* tests/ls/x-option: Likewise.
* tests/misc/arch: Likewise.
* tests/misc/cat-buf: Likewise.
* tests/misc/cat-proc: Likewise.
* tests/misc/chcon: Likewise.
* tests/misc/csplit: Likewise.
* tests/misc/df-P: Likewise.
* tests/misc/fmt-long-line: Likewise.
* tests/misc/groups-dash: Likewise.
* tests/misc/groups-version: Likewise.
* tests/misc/head-pos: Likewise.
* tests/misc/nl: Likewise.
* tests/misc/od-N: Likewise.
* tests/misc/od-multiple-t: Likewise.
* tests/misc/od-x8: Likewise.
* tests/misc/printf: Likewise.
* tests/misc/printf-hex: Likewise.
* tests/misc/pwd-option: Likewise.
* tests/misc/readlink-fp-loop: Likewise.
* tests/misc/runcon-no-reorder: Likewise.
* tests/misc/seq-long-double: Likewise.
* tests/misc/sort-NaN-infloop: Likewise.
* tests/misc/sort-benchmark-random: Likewise.
* tests/misc/sort-debug-keys: Likewise.
* tests/misc/sort-float: Likewise.
* tests/misc/sort-merge-fdlimit: Likewise.
* tests/misc/sort-unique-segv: Likewise.
* tests/misc/stat-hyphen: Likewise.
* tests/misc/stat-slash: Likewise.
* tests/misc/stdbuf: Likewise.
* tests/misc/sum-sysv: Likewise.
* tests/misc/tac-2-nonseekable: Likewise.
* tests/misc/tac-continue: Likewise.
* tests/misc/tr-case-class: Likewise.
* tests/misc/truncate-fail-diag: Likewise.
* tests/misc/wc-files0: Likewise.
* tests/mkdir/selinux: Likewise.
* tests/mv/backup-dir: Likewise.
* tests/mv/backup-is-src: Likewise.
* tests/mv/diag: Likewise.
* tests/mv/dir2dir: Likewise.
* tests/mv/dup-source: Likewise.
* tests/mv/force: Likewise.
* tests/mv/hard-verbose: Likewise.
* tests/mv/i-link-no: Likewise.
* tests/mv/into-self: Likewise.
* tests/mv/into-self-2: Likewise.
* tests/mv/into-self-3: Likewise.
* tests/mv/mv-special-1: Likewise.
* tests/mv/part-fail: Likewise.
* tests/mv/perm-1: Likewise.
* tests/mv/sticky-to-xpart: Likewise.
* tests/mv/trailing-slash: Likewise.
* tests/rm/rm1: Likewise.
* tests/rm/rm2: Likewise.
* tests/rm/cycle: Likewise.
* tests/rm/dir-no-w: Likewise.
* tests/rm/dir-nonrecur: Likewise.
* tests/rm/fail-2eperm: Likewise.
* tests/rm/fail-eacces: Likewise.
* tests/rm/i-never: Likewise.
* tests/rm/inaccessible: Likewise.
* tests/rm/interactive-always: Likewise.
* tests/rm/interactive-once: Likewise.
* tests/rm/isatty: Likewise.
* tests/rm/one-file-system: Likewise.
* tests/rm/rm3: Likewise.
* tests/rm/rm5: Likewise.
* tests/rm/unread2: Likewise.
* tests/rm/v-slash: Likewise.
* tests/sample-test: Likewise.
* tests/split/b-chunk: Likewise.
* tests/split/fail: Likewise.
* tests/split/l-chunk: Likewise.
* tests/split/lines: Likewise.
* tests/split/r-chunk: Likewise.
* tests/split/suffix-length: Likewise.
* tests/tail-2/big-4gb: Likewise.
* tests/tail-2/follow-name: Likewise.
* tests/tail-2/follow-stdin: Likewise.
* tests/tail-2/pipe-f: Likewise.
* tests/tail-2/pipe-f2: Likewise.
* tests/tail-2/start-middle: Likewise.
* tests/touch/60-seconds: Likewise.
* tests/touch/fail-diag: Likewise.
* tests/touch/not-owner: Likewise.
* tests/touch/relative: Likewise.

35 files changed, 67 insertions, 67 deletions

diff --git a/tests/misc/arch b/tests/misc/arch
index 194f7f359..df45e4a19 100755
--- a/tests/misc/arch
+++ b/tests/misc/arch
@@ -24,6 +24,6 @@ require_built_ arch
 arch > out || fail=1
 uname -m > exp || fail=1
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/cat-buf b/tests/misc/cat-buf
index 348b41450..4bb5419b8 100755
--- a/tests/misc/cat-buf
+++ b/tests/misc/cat-buf
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ cat_buf_1()
   dd count=1 if=fifo > out &
   (echo 1; sleep $delay; echo 2) | cat -v > fifo
   wait # for dd to complete
-  compare out exp
+  compare exp out
 }
 
 retry_delay_ cat_buf_1 .1 6 || fail=1
diff --git a/tests/misc/cat-proc b/tests/misc/cat-proc
index 83c173513..2372980c3 100755
--- a/tests/misc/cat-proc
+++ b/tests/misc/cat-proc
@@ -33,6 +33,6 @@ test -f $f \
 cat -E $f | sed 's/[0-9][0-9]*/D/g' | tr -d '$' > out || fail=1
 cat    $f | sed 's/[0-9][0-9]*/D/g' | tr -d '$' > exp || fail=1
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/chcon b/tests/misc/chcon
index 0f367ef89..70837af6c 100755
--- a/tests/misc/chcon
+++ b/tests/misc/chcon
@@ -68,10 +68,10 @@ f|-robject_r|root:object_r:file_t:$range
 f|-ttmp_t|root:object_r:tmp_t:$range
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 chcon --verbose -u$u1 f > out || fail=1
 echo 'changing security context of `f'\' > exp
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/csplit b/tests/misc/csplit
index 652690c5e..7536bbb39 100755
--- a/tests/misc/csplit
+++ b/tests/misc/csplit
@@ -28,14 +28,14 @@ cat <<EOF > exp
 0
 2
 EOF
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 rm -f in out exp
 
 # Ensure that xx02 contains just two newlines.
 # This would fail due to reading from freed buffer with coreutils-5.0.91.
 printf '\n\n' > exp
 cp xx02 out || fail=1
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 rm -f in out exp
 
 # csplit would infloop
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ cat <<EOF > exp
 0
 3
 EOF
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 rm -f in out exp
 
 # `echo |csplit - 1 1' used to abort.
@@ -56,11 +56,11 @@ cat <<EOF > exp
 0
 1
 EOF
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 cat <<\EOF > experr
 csplit: warning: line number `1' is the same as preceding line number
 EOF
-compare err experr || fail=1
+compare experr err || fail=1
 rm -f in out exp err experr
 
 # `echo | csplit -b '%0#6.3x' - 1' incorrectly warned about the format
@@ -71,9 +71,9 @@ cat <<EOF > exp
 0
 1
 EOF
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 touch experr
-compare err experr || fail=1
+compare experr err || fail=1
 compare 'xx   000' experr || fail=1
 compare 'xx 0x001' in || fail=1
 rm -f in out exp err experr xx*
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ csplit: line number `1' is smaller than preceding line number, 2
 csplit: warning: line number `3' is the same as preceding line number
 csplit: `3': line number out of range
 EOF
-compare err experr || fail=1
+compare experr err || fail=1
 
 # Ensure that lines longer than the initial buffer length don't cause
 # trouble (e.g. reading from freed memory, resulting in corrupt output).
diff --git a/tests/misc/df-P b/tests/misc/df-P
index c55c8c1d4..042abb5ec 100755
--- a/tests/misc/df-P
+++ b/tests/misc/df-P
@@ -32,6 +32,6 @@ BLOCK_SIZE=1M df -P . > t2 || fail=1
 head -n1 t1 > exp || fail=1
 head -n1 t2 > out || fail=1
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/fmt-long-line b/tests/misc/fmt-long-line
index 4d424c095..cf1356bf8 100755
--- a/tests/misc/fmt-long-line
+++ b/tests/misc/fmt-long-line
@@ -56,6 +56,6 @@ EOF
 
 fmt -s in > out || fail=1
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/groups-dash b/tests/misc/groups-dash
index 711d452e7..b6cf873bd 100755
--- a/tests/misc/groups-dash
+++ b/tests/misc/groups-dash
@@ -27,6 +27,6 @@ echo $? >> out
 groups -- none -- > exp 2>&1 && fail=1
 echo $? >> exp
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/groups-version b/tests/misc/groups-version
index f086a74e7..e1ca78ccd 100755
--- a/tests/misc/groups-version
+++ b/tests/misc/groups-version
@@ -23,6 +23,6 @@ require_built_ groups
 groups --version | sed 's/^groups/id/; /^$/q' > out || fail=1
 id --version | sed '/^$/q' > exp || fail=1
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/head-pos b/tests/misc/head-pos
index 79e2a43e0..a8bfe2f86 100755
--- a/tests/misc/head-pos
+++ b/tests/misc/head-pos
@@ -27,6 +27,6 @@ cat <<EOF > exp
 b
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/nl b/tests/misc/nl
index 05270c8d7..4eef6f867 100755
--- a/tests/misc/nl
+++ b/tests/misc/nl
@@ -38,6 +38,6 @@ cat <<\EOF > exp
        $
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/od-N b/tests/misc/od-N
index 2aa210674..17c11aec5 100755
--- a/tests/misc/od-N
+++ b/tests/misc/od-N
@@ -27,6 +27,6 @@ cat <<EOF > exp || fail=1
    a   b   c
    d   e   f
 EOF
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/od-multiple-t b/tests/misc/od-multiple-t
index 4f8698768..edcb5d9ae 100755
--- a/tests/misc/od-multiple-t
+++ b/tests/misc/od-multiple-t
@@ -37,6 +37,6 @@ for format1 in $list; do
   done
 done
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/od-x8 b/tests/misc/od-x8
index b66269faf..2cbe5c34e 100755
--- a/tests/misc/od-x8
+++ b/tests/misc/od-x8
@@ -38,6 +38,6 @@ od -An -t x1 in \
   | sort -n \
   > exp
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/printf b/tests/misc/printf
index b9092e17f..276541968 100755
--- a/tests/misc/printf
+++ b/tests/misc/printf
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ cat <<\EOF > exp
 foo
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 rm -f out exp
 # Until coreutils-4.5.10, this would elicit a segfault.
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ cat <<\EOF > exp
 11  x
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 # Verify handling of single quote chars (\' or \")
 
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ printf: ": expected a numeric value
 printf: a: expected a numeric value
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
-compare err exp_err || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
+compare exp_err err || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/printf-hex b/tests/misc/printf-hex
index 106490ece..000f7b17f 100755
--- a/tests/misc/printf-hex
+++ b/tests/misc/printf-hex
@@ -24,6 +24,6 @@ cat <<\EOF > exp
 ~3
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/pwd-option b/tests/misc/pwd-option
index 708401ff2..e51a0ae6e 100755
--- a/tests/misc/pwd-option
+++ b/tests/misc/pwd-option
@@ -57,6 +57,6 @@ printf %s\\n "$base/a/b" >> exp || fail=1
 env -- PWD="$base/a/../c" pwd -L >> out || fail=1
 printf %s\\n "$base/a/b" >> exp || fail=1
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/readlink-fp-loop b/tests/misc/readlink-fp-loop
index 1c50d6a4f..58bfde100 100755
--- a/tests/misc/readlink-fp-loop
+++ b/tests/misc/readlink-fp-loop
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ ln -s ../s/2 d/1 || framework_failure_
 readlink -v -e p/1 > out || fail=1
 # readlink -e d/2 > exp || fail=1
 echo "$cwd/d/2" > exp || fail=1
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 # Construct a real loop and make sure readlink still detects it.
 ln -sf ../s/1 d/2 || framework_failure_
@@ -57,12 +57,12 @@ ln -nsf ../p/8 d/7 || framework_failure_
 echo x > d/8       || framework_failure_
 readlink -v -e p/1 > out || fail=1
 echo "$cwd/d/8" > exp || fail=1
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 # A trivial loop
 ln -s loop loop
 readlink -v -e loop 2> out && fail=1
 echo "readlink: loop: $symlink_loop_msg" > exp || framework_failure_
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/runcon-no-reorder b/tests/misc/runcon-no-reorder
index 7a4825680..af99e1b50 100755
--- a/tests/misc/runcon-no-reorder
+++ b/tests/misc/runcon-no-reorder
@@ -37,6 +37,6 @@ case `cat out` in
   'runcon: invalid context: '*) echo "$diag" > out;;
 esac
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/seq-long-double b/tests/misc/seq-long-double
index 230912cbe..cdf06ace6 100755
--- a/tests/misc/seq-long-double
+++ b/tests/misc/seq-long-double
@@ -42,6 +42,6 @@ b=$INTMAX_OFLOW
 
 seq $a $b > out || fail=1
 printf "$a\n$b\n" > exp || fail=1
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/sort-NaN-infloop b/tests/misc/sort-NaN-infloop
index ead871e43..8075cbb7b 100755
--- a/tests/misc/sort-NaN-infloop
+++ b/tests/misc/sort-NaN-infloop
@@ -23,6 +23,6 @@ echo nan > F || fail=1
 printf 'nan\nnan\n' > exp || fail=1
 timeout 10 sort -g -m F F > out || fail=1
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/sort-benchmark-random b/tests/misc/sort-benchmark-random
index 6a61a1462..1baf58788 100755
--- a/tests/misc/sort-benchmark-random
+++ b/tests/misc/sort-benchmark-random
@@ -48,6 +48,6 @@ close (FILE);
 
 time sort in > out || fail=1
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/sort-debug-keys b/tests/misc/sort-debug-keys
index b4c2fb74e..db3a91364 100755
--- a/tests/misc/sort-debug-keys
+++ b/tests/misc/sort-debug-keys
@@ -284,7 +284,7 @@ printf '\0\ta\n' | sort -s -k2b,2 --debug | tr -d '\0'
 printf 'A\tchr10\nB\tchr1\n' | sort -s -k2.4b,2.3n --debug
 ) > out
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 cat <<\EOF > exp
    1²---++3   1,234  Mi
@@ -324,7 +324,7 @@ if test "$LOCALE_FR_UTF8" != "none"; then
       sort --debug -k1,1n -k1,1g \
         -k1,1h -k2,2n -k2,2g -k2,2h -k3,3n -k3,3g -k3,3h
   ) > out
-  compare out exp || fail=1
+  compare exp out || fail=1
 fi
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/sort-float b/tests/misc/sort-float
index 850f57c15..aacd9b3be 100755
--- a/tests/misc/sort-float
+++ b/tests/misc/sort-float
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ $LDBL_MAX
 
   tac exp | LC_ALL=$LOC sort -sg > out || fail=1
 
-  compare out exp || fail=1
+  compare exp out || fail=1
 done
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/sort-merge-fdlimit b/tests/misc/sort-merge-fdlimit
index 2de14f4f7..add4bc3a4 100755
--- a/tests/misc/sort-merge-fdlimit
+++ b/tests/misc/sort-merge-fdlimit
@@ -68,6 +68,6 @@ echo 6 >out || fail=1
  ulimit -n 10 &&
  sort -n -m --batch-size=7 -o out out in/1 in/2 in/3 in/4 in/5 out
 ) &&
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/sort-unique-segv b/tests/misc/sort-unique-segv
index 6a40c379c..e8e9ecf74 100755
--- a/tests/misc/sort-unique-segv
+++ b/tests/misc/sort-unique-segv
@@ -43,6 +43,6 @@ EOF
 sort --parallel=1 -u in > exp || fail=1
 
 sort --parallel=2 -u -S 10b < in > out || fail=1
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/stat-hyphen b/tests/misc/stat-hyphen
index 9a950ba64..c2addcd20 100755
--- a/tests/misc/stat-hyphen
+++ b/tests/misc/stat-hyphen
@@ -25,6 +25,6 @@ touch f || framework_failure_
 stat --format=%n - < f > out || fail=1
 stat -f - < f && fail=1
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/stat-slash b/tests/misc/stat-slash
index c317855d6..92dcd47ea 100755
--- a/tests/misc/stat-slash
+++ b/tests/misc/stat-slash
@@ -39,6 +39,6 @@ stat --format=%F link2 >> out || fail=1
 stat -L --format=%F link2 >> out || fail=1
 stat --format=%F link2/ >> out || fail=1
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/stdbuf b/tests/misc/stdbuf
index ccf60b197..7a102d383 100755
--- a/tests/misc/stdbuf
+++ b/tests/misc/stdbuf
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ stdbuf_linebuffer()
   dd count=1 if=fifo > out 2> err &
   (printf '1\n'; sleep $delay; printf '2\n') | stdbuf -oL uniq > fifo
   wait # for dd to complete
-  compare out exp
+  compare exp out
 }
 
 retry_delay_ stdbuf_linebuffer .1 6 || fail=1
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ stdbuf_unbuffer()
   dd count=1 if=fifo > out 2> err &
   (printf '1\n'; sleep $delay; printf '2\n') | stdbuf -o0 uniq > fifo
   wait # for dd to complete
-  compare out exp
+  compare exp out
 }
 
 retry_delay_ stdbuf_unbuffer .1 6 || fail=1
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ retry_delay_ stdbuf_unbuffer .1 6 || fail=1
     # dd count=1 if=fifo > /dev/null 2> err &
     # printf '1\n\2\n3\n' | (stdbuf -i0 -oL uniq > fifo; cat) > out
     # wait # for dd to complete
-    # compare out exp || fail=1
+    # compare exp out || fail=1
 #  One could remove the need for dd (used to close the fifo to get uniq to quit
 #  early), if head -n1 read stdin char by char. Note uniq | head -c2 doesn't
 #  suffice due to the buffering implicit in the pipe.  sed currently does read
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ retry_delay_ stdbuf_unbuffer .1 6 || fail=1
 #  adding this dependency on a program outside of coreutils.
     # printf '2\n' > exp
     # printf '1\n2\n' | (stdbuf -i0 sed 1q >/dev/null; cat) > out
-    # compare out exp || fail=1
+    # compare exp out || fail=1
 
 # Ensure block buffering stdout takes effect
 # We don't currently test block buffering failures as
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ retry_delay_ stdbuf_unbuffer .1 6 || fail=1
    #   dd count=1 if=fifo > out 2> err &
    #   (printf '1\n'; sleep $delay; printf '2\n') | stdbuf -o4 uniq > fifo
    #   wait # for dd to complete
-   #   compare out exp
+   #   compare exp out
    # }
    #
    # retry_delay_ stdbuf_blockbuffer .1 6 || fail=1
diff --git a/tests/misc/sum-sysv b/tests/misc/sum-sysv
index f4d6a18ed..19b79ef0f 100755
--- a/tests/misc/sum-sysv
+++ b/tests/misc/sum-sysv
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ $PERL -e '$s = chr(255) x 65537; foreach (1..257) {print $s}' \
 cat > exp <<\EOF
 65535 32897
 EOF
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 rm -f out exp
 
@@ -45,6 +45,6 @@ $PERL -e '$s = chr(255) x 65537; foreach (1..257) {print $s}; print chr(255)' \
 cat > exp <<\EOF
 254 32897
 EOF
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/tac-2-nonseekable b/tests/misc/tac-2-nonseekable
index 7b4877367..8ff30dce9 100755
--- a/tests/misc/tac-2-nonseekable
+++ b/tests/misc/tac-2-nonseekable
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ print_ver_ tac
 
 echo x | tac - - > out 2> err || fail=1
 echo x > exp || fail=1
-compare out exp || fail=1
-compare err /dev/null || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
+compare /dev/null err || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/tac-continue b/tests/misc/tac-continue
index 0040ac60a..be6325ce4 100755
--- a/tests/misc/tac-continue
+++ b/tests/misc/tac-continue
@@ -65,6 +65,6 @@ cat <<\EOF > exp || fail=1
 1
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/tr-case-class b/tests/misc/tr-case-class
index 92f1a576c..680f25a11 100755
--- a/tests/misc/tr-case-class
+++ b/tests/misc/tr-case-class
@@ -23,10 +23,10 @@ print_ver_ tr
 echo '01234567899999999999999999' > exp
 echo 'abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz' |
 tr '[:lower:]' '0-9' > out || fail=1
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 echo 'abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz' |
 tr '[:lower:][:lower:]' '[:upper:]0-9' > out || fail=1
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 # Validate the alignment of case classes
 tr 'A-Z[:lower:]' 'a-y[:upper:]' < /dev/null && fail=1
@@ -44,21 +44,21 @@ tr '[:upper:][:lower:]' '[:upper:]a-z' < /dev/null || fail=1
 tr '[:upper:] ' '[:lower:]' < /dev/null 2>out && fail=1
 echo 'tr: when translating with string1 longer than string2,
 the latter string must not end with a character class' > exp
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 # Up to coreutils-6.9, tr rejected an unmatched [:lower:] or [:upper:] in SET1.
 echo '#$%123abcABC' | tr '[:lower:]' '[.*]' > out || fail=1
 echo '#$%123...ABC' > exp
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 echo '#$%123abcABC' | tr '[:upper:]' '[.*]' > out || fail=1
 echo '#$%123abc...' > exp
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 # When doing a case-converting translation with something after the
 # [:upper:] and [:lower:] elements, ensure that tr honors the following byte.
 echo 'abc.' | tr '[:lower:].' '[:upper:]x' > out || fail=1
 echo 'ABCx' > exp
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 # Before coreutils 8.6 the disparate number of upper and lower
 # characters in some locales, triggered abort()s and invalid behavior
@@ -73,41 +73,41 @@ if test "$(locale charmap 2>/dev/null)" = ISO-8859-1; then
   tr '[:upper:] ' '[:lower:]' < /dev/null 2>out && fail=1
   echo 'tr: when translating with string1 longer than string2,
 the latter string must not end with a character class' > exp
-  compare out exp || fail=1
+  compare exp out || fail=1
 
   # Ensure when there are a different number of elements
   # in each string, we validate the case mapping correctly
   echo 'abc.xyz' |
   tr 'ab[:lower:]' '0-1[:upper:]' > out || fail=1
   echo 'ABC.XYZ' > exp
-  compare out exp || fail=1
+  compare exp out || fail=1
 
   # Ensure we extend string2 appropriately
   echo 'ABC- XYZ' |
   tr '[:upper:]- ' '[:lower:]_' > out || fail=1
   echo 'abc__xyz' > exp
-  compare out exp || fail=1
+  compare exp out || fail=1
 
   # Ensure the size of the case classes are accounted
   # for as a unit.
   echo 'ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ' |
   tr '[:upper:]A-B' '[:lower:]0' >out || fail=1
   echo '00cdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz' > exp
-  compare out exp || fail=1
+  compare exp out || fail=1
 
   # Ensure the size of the case classes are accounted
   # for as a unit.
   echo 'a' |
   tr -t '[:lower:]a' '[:upper:]0' >out || fail=1
   echo '0' > exp
-  compare out exp || fail=1
+  compare exp out || fail=1
 
   # Ensure the size of the case classes are accounted
   # for as a unit.
   echo 'a' |
   tr -t '[:lower:][:lower:]a' '[:lower:][:upper:]0' >out || fail=1
   echo '0' > exp
-  compare out exp || fail=1
+  compare exp out || fail=1
 fi
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/truncate-fail-diag b/tests/misc/truncate-fail-diag
index cea79d464..50cb5f411 100755
--- a/tests/misc/truncate-fail-diag
+++ b/tests/misc/truncate-fail-diag
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ truncate -s0 $dir > out 2>&1 && fail=1
 cat <<EOF > exp
 truncate: cannot open \`$dir' for writing: No such file or directory
 EOF
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 dir=$d1/
 truncate -s0 $dir > out 2>&1 && fail=1
diff --git a/tests/misc/wc-files0 b/tests/misc/wc-files0
index 49df3b4b0..0cc4b8417 100755
--- a/tests/misc/wc-files0
+++ b/tests/misc/wc-files0
@@ -31,13 +31,13 @@ cat <<\EOF > exp || fail=1
  2  3 10 total
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 if test "$fail" = ''; then
   # Repeat the above test, but read the file name list from stdin.
   rm -f out
   wc --files0-from=- < names > out || fail=1
-  compare out exp || fail=1
+  compare exp out || fail=1
 fi
 
 Exit $fail