From 7377f49ea807562816ba027030b3ec90958d0819 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Ondřej Vašík Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2008 10:56:54 +0200 Subject: doc: ls: clarify exit status description * src/ls.c (exit_status): Clarify comments. (usage): Clarify exit status description in --help output. * doc/coreutils.texi (ls invocation): Clarify exit status documentation Reported by Greg Metcalfe in . --- src/ls.c | 16 ++++++++++++---- 1 file changed, 12 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-) (limited to 'src') diff --git a/src/ls.c b/src/ls.c index e107162ef..ad33acc05 100644 --- a/src/ls.c +++ b/src/ls.c @@ -715,11 +715,14 @@ static int exit_status; /* Exit statuses. */ enum { - /* "ls" had a minor problem (e.g., it could not stat a directory - entry). */ + /* "ls" had a minor problem. E.g., while processing a directory, + ls obtained the name of an entry via readdir, yet was later + unable to stat that name. This happens when listing a directory + in which entries are actively being removed or renamed. */ LS_MINOR_PROBLEM = 1, - /* "ls" had more serious trouble. */ + /* "ls" had more serious trouble (e.g., memory exhausted, invalid + option or failure to stat a command line argument. */ LS_FAILURE = 2 }; @@ -4527,7 +4530,12 @@ colors, and can be set easily by the dircolors command.\n\ "), stdout); fputs (_("\ \n\ -Exit status is 0 if OK, 1 if minor problems, 2 if serious trouble.\n\ +Exit status:\n\ +0 if OK,\n\ +1 if minor problems (e.g., failure to access a file or directory not\n\ + specified as a command line argument\n\ +2 if serious trouble (e.g., memory exhausted, invalid option or failure\n\ + to access a file or directory specified as a command line argument).\n\ "), stdout); emit_bug_reporting_address (); } -- cgit v1.2.3-54-g00ecf