Zsh Mailing List Archive Messages sorted by: Reverse Date, Date, Thread, Author
PATCH: illegal -> invalid, invalid option -> bad option

X-seq: zsh-workers 54721
From: Mikael Magnusson <mikachu@xxxxxxxxx>
To: zsh-workers@xxxxxxx
Subject: PATCH: illegal -> invalid, invalid option -> bad option
Date: Tue, 9 Jun 2026 02:59:38 +0200
Archived-at: <https://zsh.org/workers/54721>
List-id: <zsh-workers.zsh.org>
Combinations of options can remain invalid, though.

---

Discussed on IRC with Oliver and dana, but I'm sure people on the list would like to
bikeshed about this too?

 Doc/Zsh/expn.yo        |  2 +-
 Doc/intro.ms           |  2 +-
 Functions/Misc/zmv     |  2 +-
 Src/Modules/zpty.c     |  2 +-
 Src/Modules/zutil.c    |  2 +-
 Src/Zle/compctl.c      | 18 +++++++++---------
 Src/Zle/computil.c     | 14 +++++++-------
 Src/Zle/zle_main.c     |  2 +-
 Src/Zle/zle_refresh.c  |  2 +-
 Src/builtin.c          |  6 +++---
 Src/glob.c             |  2 +-
 Src/hist.c             |  2 +-
 Src/jobs.c             |  2 +-
 Src/math.c             |  4 ++--
 Src/module.c           |  4 ++--
 Src/parse.c            |  2 +-
 Test/B02typeset.ztst   |  2 +-
 Test/B10getopts.ztst   |  4 ++--
 Test/B11kill.ztst      | 16 ++++++++--------
 Test/D04parameter.ztst |  6 +++---
 Test/K01nameref.ztst   |  2 +-
 Test/V13zformat.ztst   |  2 +-
 22 files changed, 50 insertions(+), 50 deletions(-)

diff --git a/Doc/Zsh/expn.yo b/Doc/Zsh/expn.yo
index 0cefaf7d1d..b91c909327 100644
--- a/Doc/Zsh/expn.yo
+++ b/Doc/Zsh/expn.yo
@@ -1699,7 +1699,7 @@ are not the same as the flags used within parameter substitutions.
 At the outermost level of substitution, the `tt((P))' flag (rule tt(4.))
 ignores these transformations and uses the unmodified value of the
 parameter as the name to be replaced.  This is usually the desired
-behavior because padding may make the value syntactically illegal as a
+behavior because padding may make the value syntactically invalid as a
 parameter name, but if capitalization changes are desired, use the
 tt(${${(P)foo}}) form (rule tt(25.)).
 )
diff --git a/Doc/intro.ms b/Doc/intro.ms
index 3aabf15199..a6f5d5ea5a 100644
--- a/Doc/intro.ms
+++ b/Doc/intro.ms
@@ -2626,7 +2626,7 @@ foo
 
 %
 .De
-With \fICSHJUNKIEQUOTES\fP set, this is illegal, as it is
+With \fICSHJUNKIEQUOTES\fP set, this is invalid, as it is
 in csh.
 .Ds
 %\0setopt\0cshjunkiequotes
diff --git a/Functions/Misc/zmv b/Functions/Misc/zmv
index 2002af5a65..ed48683463 100644
--- a/Functions/Misc/zmv
+++ b/Functions/Misc/zmv
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ repl=$2
 shift 2
 
 if [[ -n $opt_s && $action != ln ]]; then
-  print -r -- "$myname: invalid option: -s" >&2
+  print -r -- "$myname: bad option: -s" >&2
   return 1
 fi
 
diff --git a/Src/Modules/zpty.c b/Src/Modules/zpty.c
index de450be7a5..5f3a8f24e2 100644
--- a/Src/Modules/zpty.c
+++ b/Src/Modules/zpty.c
@@ -803,7 +803,7 @@ bin_zpty(char *nam, char **args, Options ops, UNUSED(int func))
 				OPT_ISSET(ops,'m'))) ||
 	(OPT_ISSET(ops,'L') && (OPT_ISSET(ops,'b') || OPT_ISSET(ops,'e') ||
 				OPT_ISSET(ops,'m')))) {
-	zwarnnam(nam, "illegal option combination");
+	zwarnnam(nam, "invalid option combination");
 	return 1;
     }
     if (OPT_ISSET(ops,'r') || OPT_ISSET(ops,'w')) {
diff --git a/Src/Modules/zutil.c b/Src/Modules/zutil.c
index 6f53f5c535..8a1af5dbfb 100644
--- a/Src/Modules/zutil.c
+++ b/Src/Modules/zutil.c
@@ -595,7 +595,7 @@ bin_zstyle(char *nam, char **args, UNUSED(Options ops), UNUSED(int func))
     case 'q': min = 2; max =  2; break;
     case 'g': min = 1; max =  3; break;
     default:
-	zwarnnam(nam, "invalid option: %s", args[0]);
+	zwarnnam(nam, "bad option: %s", args[0]);
 	return 1;
     }
     n = arrlen(args) - 1;
diff --git a/Src/Zle/compctl.c b/Src/Zle/compctl.c
index e1b32cc26f..3c2bc94e4b 100644
--- a/Src/Zle/compctl.c
+++ b/Src/Zle/compctl.c
@@ -513,7 +513,7 @@ get_compctl(char *name, char ***av, Compctl cc, int first, int isdef, int cl)
 		    char *p;
 
 		    if (cl) {
-			zwarnnam(name, "illegal option -%c", arg);
+			zwarnnam(name, "bad option: -%c", arg);
 			return 1;
 		    }
 		    if (**argv) {
@@ -656,7 +656,7 @@ get_compctl(char *name, char ***av, Compctl cc, int first, int isdef, int cl)
 		break;
 	    case 'l':
 		if (cl) {
-		    zwarnnam(name, "illegal option -%c", arg);
+		    zwarnnam(name, "bad option: -%c", arg);
 		    return 1;
 		} else if (**argv) {
 		    cct.subcmd = *argv;
@@ -671,7 +671,7 @@ get_compctl(char *name, char ***av, Compctl cc, int first, int isdef, int cl)
 		break;
 	    case 'h':
 		if (cl) {
-		    zwarnnam(name, "illegal option -%c", arg);
+		    zwarnnam(name, "bad option: -%c", arg);
 		    return 1;
 		} else if (**argv) {
 		    cct.substr = *argv;
@@ -778,7 +778,7 @@ get_compctl(char *name, char ***av, Compctl cc, int first, int isdef, int cl)
 		break;
 	    case 'C':
 		if (cl) {
-		    zwarnnam(name, "illegal option -%c", arg);
+		    zwarnnam(name, "bad option: -%c", arg);
 		    return 1;
 		}
 		if (first && !hx) {
@@ -790,7 +790,7 @@ get_compctl(char *name, char ***av, Compctl cc, int first, int isdef, int cl)
 		break;
 	    case 'D':
 		if (cl) {
-		    zwarnnam(name, "illegal option -%c", arg);
+		    zwarnnam(name, "bad option: -%c", arg);
 		    return 1;
 		}
 		if (first && !hx) {
@@ -803,7 +803,7 @@ get_compctl(char *name, char ***av, Compctl cc, int first, int isdef, int cl)
 		break;
  	    case 'T':
 		if (cl) {
-		    zwarnnam(name, "illegal option -%c", arg);
+		    zwarnnam(name, "bad option: -%c", arg);
 		    return 1;
 		}
 		if (first && !hx) {
@@ -815,11 +815,11 @@ get_compctl(char *name, char ***av, Compctl cc, int first, int isdef, int cl)
  		break;
 	    case 'L':
 		if (cl) {
-		    zwarnnam(name, "illegal option -%c", arg);
+		    zwarnnam(name, "bad option: -%c", arg);
 		    return 1;
 		}
 		if (!first || hx) {
-		    zwarnnam(name, "illegal use of -L flag");
+		    zwarnnam(name, "invalid use of -L flag");
 		    return 1;
 		}
 		cclist |= COMP_LIST;
@@ -859,7 +859,7 @@ get_compctl(char *name, char ***av, Compctl cc, int first, int isdef, int cl)
 	if (*++argv && (!ready || ready == 2) &&
 	    **argv == '+' && !argv[0][1]) {
 	    if (cl) {
-		zwarnnam(name, "xor'ed completion illegal");
+		zwarnnam(name, "xor'ed completion invalid");
 		return 1;
 	    }
 	    /* There's an alternative (+) completion:  assign
diff --git a/Src/Zle/computil.c b/Src/Zle/computil.c
index 43018c2e51..8ba1b07e04 100644
--- a/Src/Zle/computil.c
+++ b/Src/Zle/computil.c
@@ -890,7 +890,7 @@ bin_compdescribe(char *nam, char **args, UNUSED(Options ops), UNUSED(int func))
 	    return 1;
 	}
     }
-    zwarnnam(nam, "invalid option: %s", args[0]);
+    zwarnnam(nam, "bad option: %s", args[0]);
     return 1;
 }
 
@@ -2632,7 +2632,7 @@ bin_comparguments(char *nam, char **args, UNUSED(Options ops), UNUSED(int func))
     case 'W': min = 3; max =  3; break;
     case 'n': min = 1; max =  1; break;
     default:
-	zwarnnam(nam, "invalid option: %s", args[0]);
+	zwarnnam(nam, "bad option: %s", args[0]);
 	return 1;
     }
     n = arrlen(args) - 1;
@@ -3524,7 +3524,7 @@ bin_compvalues(char *nam, char **args, UNUSED(Options ops), UNUSED(int func))
     case 'L': min = 3; max =  4; break;
     case 'v': min = 1; max =  1; break;
     default:
-	zwarnnam(nam, "invalid option: %s", args[0]);
+	zwarnnam(nam, "bad option: %s", args[0]);
 	return 1;
     }
     n = arrlen(args) - 1;
@@ -3886,7 +3886,7 @@ bin_comptags(char *nam, char **args, UNUSED(Options ops), UNUSED(int func))
     case 'S': min = 1; max =  1; break;
     case 'A': min = 2; max =  3; break;
     default:
-	zwarnnam(nam, "invalid option: %s", args[0]);
+	zwarnnam(nam, "bad option: %s", args[0]);
 	return 1;
     }
     n = arrlen(args) - 1;
@@ -5007,7 +5007,7 @@ bin_compfiles(char *nam, char **args, UNUSED(Options ops), UNUSED(int func))
     case 'p':
     case 'P':
 	if (args[0][2] && (args[0][2] != '-' || args[0][3])) {
-	    zwarnnam(nam, "invalid option: %s", *args);
+	    zwarnnam(nam, "bad option: %s", *args);
 	    return 1;
 	} else {
 	    char **tmp;
@@ -5035,7 +5035,7 @@ bin_compfiles(char *nam, char **args, UNUSED(Options ops), UNUSED(int func))
 	}
     case 'i':
 	if (args[0][2]) {
-	    zwarnnam(nam, "invalid option: %s", *args);
+	    zwarnnam(nam, "bad option: %s", *args);
 	    return 1;
 	} else {
 	    char **tmp;
@@ -5091,7 +5091,7 @@ bin_compfiles(char *nam, char **args, UNUSED(Options ops), UNUSED(int func))
 	    return ret;
 	}
     }
-    zwarnnam(nam, "invalid option: %s", *args);
+    zwarnnam(nam, "bad option: %s", *args);
     return 1;
 }
 
diff --git a/Src/Zle/zle_main.c b/Src/Zle/zle_main.c
index 37d587d023..ea88a42475 100644
--- a/Src/Zle/zle_main.c
+++ b/Src/Zle/zle_main.c
@@ -1154,7 +1154,7 @@ zlecore(void)
 		    break;
 	    }
 	    handleprefixes();
-	    /* for vi mode, make sure the cursor isn't somewhere illegal */
+	    /* for vi mode, make sure the cursor isn't somewhere invalid */
 	    if (invicmdmode() && zlecs > findbol() &&
 		(zlecs == zlell || zleline[zlecs] == ZWC('\n')))
 		DECCS();
diff --git a/Src/Zle/zle_refresh.c b/Src/Zle/zle_refresh.c
index 8c2a645df4..b3a648056a 100644
--- a/Src/Zle/zle_refresh.c
+++ b/Src/Zle/zle_refresh.c
@@ -2064,7 +2064,7 @@ refreshline(int ln)
 		/*
 		 * inserting characters - characters pushed off the right
 		 * should be annihilated, but we don't do this if we're on the
-		 * last line lest undesired scrolling occurs due to `illegal'
+		 * last line lest undesired scrolling occurs due to `invalid'
 		 * characters on screen
 		 */ 
 		if (tccan(TCINS) && (vln != zterm_lines - 1)) {
diff --git a/Src/builtin.c b/Src/builtin.c
index 96de181283..e4bd714020 100644
--- a/Src/builtin.c
+++ b/Src/builtin.c
@@ -3397,7 +3397,7 @@ bin_functions(char *name, char **argv, Options ops, int func)
 	(OPT_MINUS(ops,'X') && (OPT_ISSET(ops,'m') || !scriptname)) ||
 	(OPT_ISSET(ops,'c') && (OPT_ISSET(ops,'x') || OPT_ISSET(ops,'X') ||
 				OPT_ISSET(ops,'m')))) {
-	zwarnnam(name, "invalid option(s)");
+	zwarnnam(name, "bad option(s)");
 	return 1;
     }
 
@@ -3474,7 +3474,7 @@ bin_functions(char *name, char **argv, Options ops, int func)
 	 */
 	if (on || off || pflags || OPT_ISSET(ops,'X') || OPT_ISSET(ops,'u')
 	    || OPT_ISSET(ops,'U') || OPT_ISSET(ops,'w')) {
-	    zwarnnam(name, "invalid option(s)");
+	    zwarnnam(name, "bad option(s)");
 	    return 1;
 	}
 	if (!*argv) {
@@ -4465,7 +4465,7 @@ bin_alias(char *name, char **argv, Options ops, UNUSED(int func))
 	OPT_ISSET(ops, 's');
     if (type_opts) {
 	if (type_opts > 1) {
-	    zwarnnam(name, "illegal combination of options");
+	    zwarnnam(name, "invalid combination of options");
 	    return 1;
 	}
 	if (OPT_ISSET(ops,'g'))
diff --git a/Src/glob.c b/Src/glob.c
index dab3d0ec7c..b9f7223781 100644
--- a/Src/glob.c
+++ b/Src/glob.c
@@ -2485,7 +2485,7 @@ xpandbraces(LinkList list, LinkNode *np)
 		cnt++;
 	    else if (*str == Outbrace)
 		cnt--;
-	    DPUTS(!*str, "BUG: illegal brace expansion");
+	    DPUTS(!*str, "BUG: invalid brace expansion");
 	}
 	/* Concatenate the string before the braces (str3), the section *
 	 * just found (str4) and the text after the braces (str2)       */
diff --git a/Src/hist.c b/Src/hist.c
index a6d258156c..348531aa07 100644
--- a/Src/hist.c
+++ b/Src/hist.c
@@ -956,7 +956,7 @@ histsubchar(int c)
 		break;
 	    default:
 		convchar_t wc = herrflushone(c);
-		zerr("illegal modifier: %c", wc);
+		zerr("invalid modifier: %c", wc);
 		return -1;
 	    }
 	} else {
diff --git a/Src/jobs.c b/Src/jobs.c
index 9714f4eb9a..1594ee58e1 100644
--- a/Src/jobs.c
+++ b/Src/jobs.c
@@ -3018,7 +3018,7 @@ bin_kill(char *nam, char **argv, UNUSED(Options ops), UNUSED(int func))
 		    killjb(jobtab + p, SIGCONT);
 	    }
 	} else if (!isanum(*argv)) {
-	    zwarnnam("kill", "illegal pid: %s", *argv);
+	    zwarnnam("kill", "invalid pid: %s", *argv);
 	    returnval++;
 	} else {
 	    int pid = atoi(*argv);
diff --git a/Src/math.c b/Src/math.c
index fab26116f7..517c181180 100644
--- a/Src/math.c
+++ b/Src/math.c
@@ -1102,7 +1102,7 @@ callmathfunc(char *o)
 	    }
 	    if (*a && !errflag) {
 		convchar_t wa = unmeta_one(a, NULL);
-		zerr("bad math expression: illegal character: %c", wa);
+		zerr("bad math expression: invalid character: %c", wa);
 	    }
 	    if (!errflag) {
 		if (argc >= f->minargs && (f->maxargs < 0 ||
@@ -1501,7 +1501,7 @@ matheval(char *s)
     mtok = xmtok;
     if (*junk) {
 	convchar_t j = unmeta_one(junk, NULL);
-	zerr("bad math expression: illegal character: %c", j);
+	zerr("bad math expression: invalid character: %c", j);
     }
     return x;
 }
diff --git a/Src/module.c b/Src/module.c
index 83a518c442..b01b6c6b31 100644
--- a/Src/module.c
+++ b/Src/module.c
@@ -2461,7 +2461,7 @@ bin_zmodload(char *nam, char **args, Options ops, UNUSED(int func))
     if (OPT_ISSET(ops,'A') || OPT_ISSET(ops,'R')) {
 	if (ops_bcpf || ops_au || OPT_ISSET(ops,'d') || 
 	    (OPT_ISSET(ops,'R') && OPT_ISSET(ops,'e'))) {
-	    zwarnnam(nam, "illegal flags combined with -A or -R");
+	    zwarnnam(nam, "invalid flags combined with -A or -R");
 	    return 1;
 	}
 	if (!OPT_ISSET(ops,'e'))
@@ -3527,7 +3527,7 @@ autofeatures(const char *cmdnam, const char *module, char **features,
 	}
 
 	if (strchr(fnam, '/')) {
-	    zwarnnam(cmdnam, "%s: `/' is illegal in a %s", fnam, typnam);
+	    zwarnnam(cmdnam, "%s: `/' is invalid in a %s", fnam, typnam);
 	    ret = 1;
 	    continue;
 	}
diff --git a/Src/parse.c b/Src/parse.c
index 8d6c8ca635..beb9be0590 100644
--- a/Src/parse.c
+++ b/Src/parse.c
@@ -3187,7 +3187,7 @@ bin_zcompile(char *nam, char **args, Options ops, UNUSED(int func))
 	(OPT_ISSET(ops,'c') &&
 	 (OPT_ISSET(ops,'U') || OPT_ISSET(ops,'k') || OPT_ISSET(ops,'z'))) ||
 	(!(OPT_ISSET(ops,'c') || OPT_ISSET(ops,'a')) && OPT_ISSET(ops,'m'))) {
-	zwarnnam(nam, "illegal combination of options");
+	zwarnnam(nam, "invalid combination of options");
 	return 1;
     }
     if ((OPT_ISSET(ops,'c') || OPT_ISSET(ops,'a')) && isset(KSHAUTOLOAD))
diff --git a/Test/B02typeset.ztst b/Test/B02typeset.ztst
index 8839e38918..32e79ced22 100644
--- a/Test/B02typeset.ztst
+++ b/Test/B02typeset.ztst
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 #  Function tracing (typeset -ft)		E02xtrace
 
 # Not yet tested:
-#  Assorted illegal flag combinations
+#  Assorted invalid flag combinations
 
 # For a few tests, we include a
 #    typeset -p param
diff --git a/Test/B10getopts.ztst b/Test/B10getopts.ztst
index 5ababebcc8..4e1893fc4d 100644
--- a/Test/B10getopts.ztst
+++ b/Test/B10getopts.ztst
@@ -73,11 +73,11 @@
 >test_getopts:3: argument expected after +c option
 
   test_getopts -x
-1:one illegal option
+1:one invalid option
 >test_getopts:3: bad option: -x
 
   test_getopts +x
-1:one illegal option, + variant
+1:one invalid option, + variant
 >test_getopts:3: bad option: +x
 
   set -- -x
diff --git a/Test/B11kill.ztst b/Test/B11kill.ztst
index dc6bf9b897..c792033210 100644
--- a/Test/B11kill.ztst
+++ b/Test/B11kill.ztst
@@ -35,17 +35,17 @@
     kill a b c
   )
 3:kill with multiple wrong inputs should increment status
-?(eval):kill:2: illegal pid: a
-?(eval):kill:2: illegal pid: b
-?(eval):kill:2: illegal pid: c
+?(eval):kill:2: invalid pid: a
+?(eval):kill:2: invalid pid: b
+?(eval):kill:2: invalid pid: c
 
   (
     kill -INT a b c
   )
 3:kill with sigspec and wrong inputs should increment status
-?(eval):kill:2: illegal pid: a
-?(eval):kill:2: illegal pid: b
-?(eval):kill:2: illegal pid: c
+?(eval):kill:2: invalid pid: a
+?(eval):kill:2: invalid pid: b
+?(eval):kill:2: invalid pid: c
 
   (
     kill
@@ -75,12 +75,12 @@
     kill -URG ''
   )
 1:kill with empty pid and sigspec should not send signal to current process group
-?(eval):kill:3: illegal pid: 
+?(eval):kill:3: invalid pid: 
 
   (
     trap 'exit 19' TERM
     kill ''
   )
 1:Plain kill with empty pid should not send signal to current process group
-?(eval):kill:3: illegal pid: 
+?(eval):kill:3: invalid pid: 
 
diff --git a/Test/D04parameter.ztst b/Test/D04parameter.ztst
index c09821c85e..e5fb2e5b3e 100644
--- a/Test/D04parameter.ztst
+++ b/Test/D04parameter.ztst
@@ -2429,13 +2429,13 @@ F:behavior, see http://austingroupbugs.net/view.php?id=888
   (
   IFS=$'\x80'
   if [[ $IFS = $' \t\n\0' ]]; then
-    echo OK     # if $'\x80' is illegal (e.g. Linux)
+    echo OK     # if $'\x80' is invalid (e.g. Linux)
   else          # otherwise (e.g. macOS), it should work as a separator
     s=$'foo\x80\bar'
     [[ ${${=s}[1]} = foo ]] && echo OK
   fi
   )
-0D:reset IFS to default if it contains illegal character
+0D:reset IFS to default if it contains invalid character
 >OK
 
   (
@@ -2955,7 +2955,7 @@ F:behavior, see http://austingroupbugs.net/view.php?id=888
 
   : ${(#X):-@}
 1:${(#X)...}: bad math expression
-?(eval):1: bad math expression: illegal character: @
+?(eval):1: bad math expression: invalid character: @
 
   echo a${(#):-@}z
 0:${(#)...}: bad math expression
diff --git a/Test/K01nameref.ztst b/Test/K01nameref.ztst
index 0b44758270..b89c3ead67 100644
--- a/Test/K01nameref.ztst
+++ b/Test/K01nameref.ztst
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@ F:note this causes "var" to become set
 *?*var\[2\]: can't change type via subscript reference
 
  typeset -n ptr[1]=var
-1:illegal nameref name
+1:invalid nameref name
 *?*reference variable cannot be an array
 
  typeset var=value
diff --git a/Test/V13zformat.ztst b/Test/V13zformat.ztst
index 449b963380..74fc14ae85 100644
--- a/Test/V13zformat.ztst
+++ b/Test/V13zformat.ztst
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@
   for 1 in % \) - . 0 9 ''; do
     zformat -F REPLY '' $1:
   done
-1:spec with illegal char
+1:spec with invalid char
 ?(eval):zformat:2: invalid spec: %:
 ?(eval):zformat:2: invalid spec: ):
 ?(eval):zformat:2: invalid spec: -:
-- 
2.38.1
Follow-Ups:
- Re: PATCH: illegal -> invalid, invalid option -> bad option
  - From: Bart Schaefer
Messages sorted by: Reverse Date, Date, Thread, Author