First a demonstration that I understand what 'combine' is for, so
we don't dispute that. Then a reply.
A few examples:
# make some /tmp files named 'A' and 'B'.
% cd /tmp
% for z in a b c d e ; do echo $z ; done > A
% for z in a e f g ; do echo $z ; done > B
# lines in common?
% combine A and B
a
e
# all lines?
% combine A or B
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
# exclusive to A?
% combine A not B
b
c
d
# exclusive to B?
% combine B not A
f
g
# lines not in both?
% combine A xor B
b
c
d
f
g
# what Debian packages beginning with 'bas' don't I have?
% X='^bas.*'
% dglob -a -e "$X" > D.all
% dglob -e "$X" > D
% combine D.all not D
bastille
base-config
bash-builtins
basilix
bass
...another example, suppose your Debian system is old and mixed-up, and
you want to try a clean install, maybe with some new BootCD. But you
still want to keep some of your favorite utils, which aren't on
the CD.
On the old system, save a package list like so:
% dglob > mystuff
...back up 'home' somewhere, then install the new system. After that,
use 'combine' to get a list of the packages the old system had and
the new system lacks:
% dglob | combine - not mystuff
Handy program 'combine'.
On Mon, 3 Apr 2006 16:28:26 -0400
Joey Hess <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> > % whatis combine
> > combine (1) - combine the lines in two files using boolean operations
> No, it doesn't say that it concacenates lines...
> ...I don't see what's so vague about "{combine} the lines in two files".
"Combine" is a transitive verb, its object is the plural noun "lines".
To "combine lines" implies, suggests, connotes, concatenation.
Example citations, two of many, of this usage:
"Combine lines of nroff output"
http://www.stylusstudio.com/xsllist/200310/post71120.html
"I ... need to know a proper sed command to combine lines..."
http://www.codecomments.com/archive287-2005-11-692033.html
> > combine (1) - combine two text files using boolean operations
> > combine (1) - combine text files using boolean operations
>
> This seems to imply that it's doing an operation like:
>
> file A OR file B
That would be one operation, a singular action; 'operations' is a
plural series of actions. If we write (deliberate bad example):
combine (1) - combine text files using a boolean operation
...that'd fit your interpretation better.
Still, other users might miss that final 's'!
> > combine (1) - combine text files, line by line, using boolean
> > operations
> > combine (1) - combine text files using boolean operations on
> > lines
> > combine (1) - combine text files by line, using boolean
> > operations
>
> These are also wrong, since they over-stress the lines and imply an
> operation such as:
>
> for each line N:
> line N from file A OR line N from file B
>
> Which is also not what it's doing.
I don't notice any specific algorithms being implied, but if you
read it that way, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt.
The reason to stress lines, is that lines are the indivisible atoms
of 'combine'. It doesn't compare words, letters, or paragraphs; only
lines.
Maybe if we leave out the name; the verb 'combine' is
overextended when it refers to the 'not' operator. So:
combine (1) - perform boolean operations on two text files, print
matching lines
combine (1) - print boolean matches of lines from two text files
combine (1) - print boolean matches of lines from two files
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