Re: manual page missing ${parameter-replacement}

[Lawrence Velázquez]

On Mon, Nov 21, 2022, at 2:20 AM, Ulrich Windl wrote:
> I think the bash manual page lacks some important detail of parameter 
> substitution, namely:
> "Bash tests for a parameter that is unset or null. Omitting the colon 
> results in a test only for a parameter that is unset."
>
> (found in 
> https://www.gnu.org/software/bash/manual/html_node/Shell-Parameter-Expansion.html)

You omitted all of the relevant context.  The full paragraph is:

        When not performing substring expansion, using the form [sic]
        described below (e.g., ':-'), Bash tests for a parameter
        that is unset or null.  Omitting the colon results in a
        test only for a parameter that is unset.  Put another way,
        if the colon is included, the operator tests for both
        _parameter_'s existence and that its value is not null; if
        the colon is omitted, the operator tests only for existence.

The manual then goes on to describe the ${parameter:-word},
${parameter:=word}, ${parameter:?word}, and ${parameter:+word}
forms.  These are what your excerpt is talking about.

So what do you think is missing, exactly?

-- 
vq