docs/177429: dd(1) man page is unclear about semantics of conv=sync

[Peter Pentchev]

The following reply was made to PR docs/177429; it has been noted by GNATS.

From: Peter Pentchev <roam at ringlet.net>
To: "Ronald F.Guilmette" <rfg at tristatelogic.com>
Cc: bug-followup at FreeBSD.org
Subject: Re: docs/177429: dd(1) man page is unclear about semantics of
 conv=sync
Date: Fri, 29 Mar 2013 15:18:35 +0200

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 On Wed, Mar 27, 2013 at 08:21:11PM -0700, Ronald F.Guilmette wrote:
 >=20
 > >Number:         177429
 > >Category:       docs
 > >Synopsis:       dd(1) man page is unclear about semantics of conv=3Dsync
 [snip]
 > >Description:
 >=20
 > The man page for dd(1) describes the "sync" parameter of the "conv=3D" op=
 tion
 > thusly:
 >=20
 >               sync     Pad every input block to the input buffer size.  S=
 paces
 >                        are used for pad bytes if a block oriented convers=
 ion
 >                        value is specified, otherwise NUL bytes are used.
 >=20
 > This verbage is entirely unclear. What is a "block oriented conversion va=
 lue"
 > and how would a user know whether or not he had specified one?
 >=20
 > The man page should make this more clear & explicit.
 
 Well, the "conversion value" is the set of all parameters that you have
 supplied to "conv" - you can supply more than one using commas.  And I
 think that "block-oriented" should mean that some of the things that you
 have specified say that the output should be in blocks - either that it
 is in blocks by default (and you have *not* requested unblocking it by
 using "ascii", "oldascii" or "unblock"), or that you've requested that
 dd(1) make it into blocks using one of the "block", "ebcdic", "ibm",
 "oldebcdic" and "oldibm" conversion specifiers.
 
 Of course, I could be wrong, but that's how I myself understand the
 manual page.
 
 G'luck,
 Peter
 
 --=20
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