ls(1) new command line options '-/' and '-%': CIFS system attributes support [PSARC/2007/394 FastTrack timeout 07/11/2007]

[Glenn Fowler]

probably off-topic, but ps -o style lists are probably too
weak to emulate current ls formatting

the ast ls(1) has full printf(3) formatting
the same supporting code is used in the ast pax(1) and ps(1) commands
this shows the supported format data fields
	ls --?format
and --dump shows the format generated by the options in scope (and exits)
e.g., this lists the format used for -l:
	ls -l --dump

because each file type may have different fields active,
formatting can get complicated

e.g., device files list major,minor instead of size, and
symlinks list the link text when certain options are in scope
alternatives based on file type are supported in the format syntax

ast ls does not address attributes
adding them will be handled by adding fields to the format table
new option(s) would not be required but would probably
be added for consensus compatibility

-- Glenn Fowler -- AT&T Research, Florham Park NJ --

On Sun, 01 Jul 2007 16:50:24 -0500 Nico wrote:
> On Sun, Jul 01, 2007 at 04:54:28PM +0100, Jeremy Harris wrote:
> > Linux seems to have a new command in this region: "lsattr".
> > Ref:  http://linux.about.com/library/cmd/blcmdl1_lsattr.htm
> > 
> > Was this approach considered?  Do we risk incompatibility?

> Dunno, dunno, but ISTM that it's time to consider a new ls command that
> has a ps/zfs-like -o <attribute list> argument of what to print, and one
> that is more scriptable.