From: Linus Torvalds <torvalds@osdl.org>
Date: Sun, 14 May 2006 16:33:48 GMT
Subject: Re: [PATCH 5/5] diff: parse U/u/unified options with an optional integer arg
Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.4.64.0605140931410.3866@g5.osdl.org>
In-Reply-To: <11476199631085-git-send-email-normalperson@yhbt.net>



On Sun, 14 May 2006, Eric Wong wrote:
> 
> -u (lowercase) now accepts an optional arg, like -U (GNU diff
> -u also has this behavior).

Actually, modern GNU "diff -u5" will say

	diff: `-5' option is obsolete; use `-U 5'
	diff: Try `diff --help' for more information.

and exit.

I'm not entirely sure why, but I think it's because "u" can be mixed (ie 
with something like "-urN"), while "U" cannot. The GNU diff rule seems to 
be that simple arguments can be mixed together, but arguments with 
parameters cannot. Which sounds sane.

		Linus