The mkdir command produces a mangled display text when it is run in verbose mode and also creates multiple levels of directories at the same time. As an example, assuming that /tmp/a does not exist, try the following: mkdir -p --verbose /tmp/a/b/c/d/e/f/g/h/i/j/k/l/m I would tend to suspect that there's a \n missing from at least one printf() in the mkdir source code, but have no idea which author is responsible for maintaining this command, so have reported it here and hope somebody here can forward it to the relevant person.
Thanks, I've fixed the bug in fileutils 4.0-11 (rawhide) and passed the patch on to the maintainers of the base package.
Thanks for that. I have to admit that I'd also like to see the -v short-form for the --verbose option available in mkdir like it is in just about every other command, but that's probably no more than wishful thinking on my part... Anyway, bug closed.