Re: caget with an array of space-containing strings

[Eric Norum <norume@aps.anl.gov>]

I'd like to suggest that there also be an option to caget/caput that  
makes them produce/accept 'comma separated value' strings compatible  
with a spreadsheet.

I suspect that this might work acceptably with the shell, too, if you  
temporarily did IFS="," and then did a 'set' on the caget output.


On Feb 27, 2009, at 10:01 AM, Andrew Johnson wrote:

> On Thursday 26 February 2009 18:23:17 Ralph Lange wrote:
> > I have to admit, though, that arrays of strings with embedded spaces
> > break one of the command line tools' underlying ideas: caput  
> > understands
> > the caget return value of the same PV.
> >
> > So, an command line option to change the separator could be a  
> > feasible
> > solution, or quoting those strings, or both. Any preferences?
>
> Carl Schumann also wrote (privately):
> > Even as human I have trouble parsing the result.  The PV is not
> > mine and so I don't really understand the strings I am looking at to
> > being with.   The lack of an obvious separator complicates matters  
> > further.
>
> I agree that your particular example was pretty much impossible to  
> read, so we
> should fix the tools.
>
> How about we change ca{get,put,monitor} so that if they're printing  
> string
> values (and ENUM choice strings) that contain spaces or other  
> characters that
> need escaping for the shell, they enclose them in double-quotes?
>
> I guess they should also escape control characters, and the rule  
> should
> probably apply to PV names as well.  Maybe we need an option to turn  
> this on
> though?
>
> A good Codeathon job, if you need one Ralph...
>
> - Andrew
> --
> The best FOSS code is written to be read by other humans -- Harold  
> Welte

--
Eric Norum <norume@aps.anl.gov>
Advanced Photon Source
Argonne National Laboratory
(630) 252-4793