Re: listing all executables by prefix - solution!

[Peter Stephenson <pws@xxxxxxx>]

Dan Kenigsberg wrote:
> and something like:
> 
>   function _lap { tmp="${(@f)$(whence -pm $1\*)}"; [[ ! -z $tmp ]] && 
>     ls -l ${=tmp} }
> 
> will produce fewer processes on the way.

Except... see below.

> P.S. I wouldn't know why
> 
>   function _lap { tmp=$(whence -pm $1\*); [[ ! -z $tmp ]] && ls -l ${=tmp} }
> 
> is not as good, but I'm such a shameless newbie, so it is not that surprising
> .

It's not obvious at first sight.  The problem here (and above) is with
spaces.  Both ${=...} and normal $(...) split words on spaces.  So if
you have directories with names like `Program Files' the filename will
be split at that point.  The "${(@f)...}"  stuff makes sure you get the
`whence output', including newlines, verbatim and then splits on the
newlines.  Of course, if you have newlines in your filenames your are
totally screwed, but at least the GUI-masqeurading-as-an-OS I alluded to
before isn't in the habit of using them.

Hence your solution is better written using an array:

function _lap {
  local tmp
  tmp=("${(@f)$(whence -pm $1\*)}")
  (( $#tmp )) && ls -l $tmp
}

-- 
Peter Stephenson <pws@xxxxxxx>                  Software Engineer
CSR Ltd., Science Park, Milton Road,
Cambridge, CB4 0WH, UK                          Tel: +44 (0)1223 392070


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