It's quite common to want `join` to operate on the whole line.
For e.g. see: https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=531355
In addition `sort` by default operates on the whole line.
So I think there should be an easy way for join to do the same.
The logical way for me is to specify an empty seperator with -t ''
as is done in the patch below. Would this be useful?
If not I'll at least document the -t '\0' option which achieves
the same thing iff there are no NUL characters in the line.
Note '\0' support was added in f9118c1c
cheers,
Pádraig.
diff --git a/doc/coreutils.texi b/doc/coreutils.texi
index df7e963..57f6f11 100644
--- a/doc/coreutils.texi
+++ b/doc/coreutils.texi
@@ -5458,6 +5458,8 @@ locales and options if the output of @command{sort} is
fed to
sort a file on its default join field, but if you select a non-default
locale, join field, separator, or comparison options, then you should
do so consistently between @command{join} and @command{sort}.
+If @samp{join -t ''} is specified then the whole line is considered which
+matches the default operation of sort.
If the input has no unpairable lines, a @acronym{GNU} extension is
available; the sort order can be any order that considers two fields
@@ -5559,7 +5561,10 @@ option---are subject to the specified @var{field-list}.
Use character @var{char} as the input and output field separator.
Treat as significant each occurrence of @var{char} in the input file.
Use @samp{sort -t @var{char}}, without the @option{-b} option of
address@hidden, to produce this ordering.
address@hidden, to produce this ordering. If @samp{join -t ''} is specified,
+the whole line is considered, matching the default operation of sort.
+If @samp{-t '\0'} is specified then the @acronym{ASCII} @sc{nul}
+character is used to delimit the fields.
@item -v @var{file-number}
Print a line for each unpairable line in file @var{file-number}
diff --git a/src/join.c b/src/join.c
index d734a91..8c9b9d3 100644
--- a/src/join.c
+++ b/src/join.c
@@ -204,7 +204,8 @@ the remaining fields from FILE1, the remaining fields from
FILE2, all\n\
separated by CHAR.\n\
\n\
Important: FILE1 and FILE2 must be sorted on the join fields.\n\
-E.g., use `sort -k 1b,1' if `join' has no options.\n\
+E.g., use ` sort -k 1b,1 ' if `join' has no options,\n\
+or use ` join -t '' ' if `sort' has no options.\n\
Note, comparisons honor the rules specified by `LC_COLLATE'.\n\
If the input is not sorted and some lines cannot be joined, a\n\
warning message will be given.\n\
@@ -1024,8 +1025,8 @@ main (int argc, char **argv)
{
unsigned char newtab = optarg[0];
if (! newtab)
- error (EXIT_FAILURE, 0, _("empty tab"));
- if (optarg[1])
+ newtab = '\n'; /* '' => process the whole line. */
+ else if (optarg[1])
{
if (STREQ (optarg, "\\0"))
newtab = '\0';