bug#6186: du in coreutils should add the -d flag as a shortcut to --max-depth

[Glenn Morris]

[ The following went to the help-debbugs list, I think because putting
a space before the ':' in the pseudo-headers does not work. I am
resending it so that it goes to the bug-coreutils list. Note that
"Command" and "Type" are not recognized pseudo-headers. You don't need
to worry about any of this, but if interested see
http://debbugs.gnu.org/Reporting.html ]


From: Jon Ringuette <jonr <at> scharp.org>
To: submit <at> debbugs.gnu.org

Package : coreutils
Version : All
Command : du
Type : Feature Request

Hello,

In the FreeBSD world it is common to have a short argument of '-d' for
--max-depth.  This greatly shortens a command one must type to when a
depth argument is used (which from my experience is often).

For example currently to say get the size of all the home directories
of users one would use : du /home -h --max-depth=1 .  It would make
life simpler and make going from FreeBSD systems to Linux systems
easier for people and scripts if the syntax : du /home -h -d 1 was
also supposed.

Thank you,

-- 
Jon Ringuette
SCHARP/FHCRC
1100 Fairview ave. N LE-400
Office: Phone: 206.667.6378  Mobile: 206.659.5660  Fax: 206.667.4812
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