Re: cat file dabbles in locales?

[Jim Meyering]

Dan Jacobson <address@hidden> wrote:
> $ strace cat file
> shows open("/usr/lib/locale/locale-archive")
> Is that necessary in this most simplest case?

It is not done if you're using LC_MESSAGES=POSIX,
but it is performed if your locale is set to anything else:

  $ LC_ALL=POSIX strace -e open /bin/cat /dev/null 2>&1 | grep locale
  [Exit 1]
  $ LC_ALL=fr_FR strace -e open /bin/cat /dev/null 2>&1 | grep locale
  open("/usr/lib/locale/locale-archive", O_RDONLY|O_LARGEFILE) = 3

That set-up is performed (via setlocale) for internationalized diagnostics.