Package: moreutils Version: 0.17 Severity: normal
Supposing the fallible user gets a name wrong, this error might worsen their confusion: % ifdata -ph localhost ; echo $? ioctl on localhost: No such device 0 % ifdata -ph /dev/modem ; echo $? ioctl on /dev/modem: No such device 0 ...'device' being vague, users might wonder if 'localhost' or '/dev/modem' existed. The error's true meaning is obvious with a nonsensical device name: % ifdata -ph foobar ; echo $? ioctl on foobar: No such device 0 Notes: 1) the error code shouldn't be '0'. 2) 'ioctl' makes it look like a kernel error. If it was kernel error, it would be better to catch the error before calling the kernel, or if that's unfeasible, to parse the kernel's error after the fact. Suggested revised output: % ifdata -ph foobar ; echo $? ifdata: error, no such network interface as 'foobar'. 3 Hope this helps... -- System Information: Debian Release: testing/unstable APT prefers unstable APT policy: (500, 'unstable'), (1, 'experimental') Architecture: i386 (i686) Shell: /bin/sh linked to /bin/dash Kernel: Linux 2.6.16-2-686 Locale: LANG=C, LC_CTYPE=C (charmap=ANSI_X3.4-1968) (ignored: LC_ALL set to C) Versions of packages moreutils depends on: ii libc6 2.3.6.ds1-4 GNU C Library: Shared libraries ii perl 5.8.8-6.1 Larry Wall's Practical Extraction moreutils recommends no packages. -- debconf-show failed -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]