Subject: Re: [PATCH] test-lib: avoid full path to store test results

From: Stefano Lattarini <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 31 Oct 2012 10:05:27 +0100

On 10/30/2012 11:17 PM, Elia Pinto wrote:
> Thanks. I know that posix support these usages, but exists some
> traditional shell that not support it.
>
True, but those shells are not POSIX shells -- the major example that
comes to mind is the accursed Solaris /bin/sh.

Since Git assumes a POSIX shell in its scripts and testsuite, use of
any POSIX feature should be fine -- until someone can show a real-world
POSIX shell that (likely due to a bug) fails to grasp such feature, in
which case a "pragmatic" workaround is needed.

Oh, and BTW, there are talks (and mostly consensus) among the Autotools
developers to start requiring a POSIX shell in the configure scripts
and Makefile recipes in the near future:

  <http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/bug-autoconf/2012-06/msg00009.html>

And also, related:

  <http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/automake/2012-08/msg00046.html>
  <http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/coreutils/2012-10/msg00127.html>

>These are described in the
> autoconf manual, last time i have checked. As the construct ; export
> var = x should be portable, but it is not.
>
I don't think POSIX requires that to be portable.

> If this is important these days i don't know.
>
I hope the above helps to clarify the matter a little.

Regards,
  Stefano