Re: [Quilt-dev] quilt 'env' command to get environment variables

[Kaz Kylheku]

On Tue, 24 Apr 2012 10:45:19 +0100, Pedro Alves <address@hidden>
wrote:
> On 04/24/2012 03:12 AM, Andreas Grünbacher wrote:
> 
>> quot="'\\''"
>> for x in QUILTRC QUILT_{DIFF,PATCH,DIFFSTAT}_OPTS \
>>          
>> QUILT_{PATCHES,SERIES,PATCHES_PREFIX,NO_DIFF_INDEX,NO_DIFF_TIMESTAMPS,PAGER}
> 
> 
> Although neat, that's grep unfriendly.  I'd suggest spelling the
> option's names out.

See?

My "quilt shell <command>" suggestion is looking better and better.

There are not too many ways to design that one. The argument is system
command syntax and it is handed down to the system command processor.
All that is left to discuss is the context of the call. Does it occur
in the root directory of the quilt project? Or in the invoking
directory.

With this, the user can print the value of a variable in any manner
they wish:

    quilt shell 'echo $QUILT_VAR | sed ...'


For "quilt env", I would suggest simply calling the standard "env"
utility, and accepting compatible options too, like GNU env's
-0/--null .

Why should "quilt env" endeavor to improve upon the
design of "env"?

Gee, let's start cloning Unix inside quilt, /and/ improving it.
I hate the syntax and limitations of Unix "mv"; but
"quilt mv" can fix it. :)

The advantage of just using env is that people in the
Unix culture have likely solved the problems of using the
output of "env". They can just re-use their hacks for
"quilt env", should that ever arise, instead of writing
new hacks specific to "quilt env". (Which there will be;
no single escaping method will satisfy all uses.)