Re: RFE: capture command AND output for display and/or redirection

[Eric Blake]

On 04/23/2013 01:07 PM, todd.dsm@gmail.com wrote:
> Guys, I found the part in the manual about submitting bugs but not requests 
> for enhancement. If this is not the right place, let me know.

A missing feature is merely a different form of bug, so yes, this is the
right place.

> 
> Enhancement Request:
> Bash could use a standardized method of capturing a command AND its output 
> for display in the terminal and/or redirection (to wherever, file, what have 
> you).

'set -x' is standardized by POSIX, and portable to more than just bash.
 Additionally, the DEBUG trap can provide you bash-specific additional
hooks into logging, at the expense of no longer being standardized.

> 
> Is this silly = yes. But, I have 2 words to disable any similar arguments: 
> 'government work'. The white collars may never come around to our way of 
> thinking, or more appropriately, knowing. Until that happens some goofy 
> reporting must be used.
> 
> echoing a command, then executing is just duplication; also silly. trap is 
> cool, (EG: trap 'printf %s\\n "$BASH_COMMAND" >&2' DEBUG) - but in the case 
> of redirection to a file, the variable is first printed literally, then 
> expanded; this fails too.
> 
> Is there any any relief for those working-class scripters like myself?

Yes, and what you want already exists.

Read this thread for more details:
https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/help-bash/2013-04/msg00031.html

In particular, that thread points out:
http://mywiki.wooledge.org/BashFAQ/050

-- 
Eric Blake   eblake redhat com    +1-919-301-3266
Libvirt virtualization library http://libvirt.org

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