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DescriptionVishnu Unnikrishnan
2019-02-14 23:44:11 UTC
Description of problem:
Issue with the output of "--apple" option in file output. it is not giving the expected result.
Version-Release number of selected component (if applicable):
RHEL 8 Beta
file-5.33
How reproducible:
#file --apple <file_name>
Steps to Reproduce:
1.Open any file with --apple option.
2.
3.
Actual results:
The output of the file command with --apple option gives two results only for any type of file.
=> UNKNUNKN
=> ERROR: (null)
Expected results:
As per the man page description, --apple option should print the file type and creator code as the output.
--apple
Causes the file command to output the file type and creator code as used by older MacOS versions. The code consists of eight letters, the first describing the file type, the latter the creator.
But here for any regular files like ASCII test, gzip, zip files, it gives output as UNKNUNKN. If it is an empty file or directory, character special files, --apple option gives "ERROR: (null)".
As per the manpage documentation, this should not be the result for this option. It is a new option added in RHEL8.
Example
=======
# file test1.tar.gz --apple
test1.tar.gz: UNKNUNKN
# file test1.tar.gz
test1.tar.z: gzip compressed data, last modified: Thu Feb 14 23:13:08 2019, from Unix, original size 10240
--------------------------------------
# file --apple a <<<<<<<<<Empty text file
a: ERROR: (null) <<<-----
# file a
a: empty
# echo "1234" > a <<<<<<<<<Added some content
# file a
a: ASCII text
# file --apple a
a: UNKNUNKN <<<------
--------------------------------------
# file /dev/tty
/dev/tty: character special (5/0)
# ll /dev/tty
crw-rw-rw-. 1 root tty 5, 0 Feb 15 00:20 /dev/tty
# file /dev/tty --apple
/dev/tty: ERROR: (null) <<<------
Additional info:
If this is the expected result, then it conflicts with manpage information and it has to be modified. otherwise this need to fixed.
It seems that the --apple option is indeed broken. On the other hand, it did not work much better in RHEL-7. We can ask upstream to either make the option useful again, or deprecate it. But do not expect this to be fixed in RHEL-8 unless there is a business justification.
(In reply to Vishnu Unnikrishnan from comment #0)
> Actual results:
>
> The output of the file command with --apple option gives two results only
> for any type of file.
Actually, the above statement is incorrect. The option works fine for file formats that have --apple output defined:
$ curl -O http://cd.textfiles.com/carousel344/MACTOSH/MACTN/TN001.SIT
$ file --mime TN001.SIT
TN001.SIT: application/x-stuffit; charset=binary
$ file --apple TN001.SIT
TN001.SIT: SIT!SIT!
Comment 3Vishnu Unnikrishnan
2019-02-15 16:59:45 UTC
Hi,
In that case, do we need to modify the man page statement for --apple option?
--apple
Causes the file command to output the file type and creator code as used by older MacOS versions. The code consists of eight letters, the first describing the file type, the latter the creator.
I think it would be better to add "The option works for file formats that have --apple output defined" to avoid confusion.
Since the problem described in this bug report should be
resolved in a recent advisory, it has been closed with a
resolution of ERRATA.
For information on the advisory (file bug fix and enhancement update), and where to find the updated
files, follow the link below.
If the solution does not work for you, open a new bug report.
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHBA-2020:4531
Description of problem: Issue with the output of "--apple" option in file output. it is not giving the expected result. Version-Release number of selected component (if applicable): RHEL 8 Beta file-5.33 How reproducible: #file --apple <file_name> Steps to Reproduce: 1.Open any file with --apple option. 2. 3. Actual results: The output of the file command with --apple option gives two results only for any type of file. => UNKNUNKN => ERROR: (null) Expected results: As per the man page description, --apple option should print the file type and creator code as the output. --apple Causes the file command to output the file type and creator code as used by older MacOS versions. The code consists of eight letters, the first describing the file type, the latter the creator. But here for any regular files like ASCII test, gzip, zip files, it gives output as UNKNUNKN. If it is an empty file or directory, character special files, --apple option gives "ERROR: (null)". As per the manpage documentation, this should not be the result for this option. It is a new option added in RHEL8. Example ======= # file test1.tar.gz --apple test1.tar.gz: UNKNUNKN # file test1.tar.gz test1.tar.z: gzip compressed data, last modified: Thu Feb 14 23:13:08 2019, from Unix, original size 10240 -------------------------------------- # file --apple a <<<<<<<<<Empty text file a: ERROR: (null) <<<----- # file a a: empty # echo "1234" > a <<<<<<<<<Added some content # file a a: ASCII text # file --apple a a: UNKNUNKN <<<------ -------------------------------------- # file /dev/tty /dev/tty: character special (5/0) # ll /dev/tty crw-rw-rw-. 1 root tty 5, 0 Feb 15 00:20 /dev/tty # file /dev/tty --apple /dev/tty: ERROR: (null) <<<------ Additional info: If this is the expected result, then it conflicts with manpage information and it has to be modified. otherwise this need to fixed.