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Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!decwrl!sun!guy
From: guy@sun.uucp (Guy Harris)
Newsgroups: net.bugs.usg
Subject: Re: PATH bug?
Message-ID: <2563@sun.uucp>
Date: Tue, 6-Aug-85 01:20:33 EDT
Article-I.D.: sun.2563
Posted: Tue Aug  6 01:20:33 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 7-Aug-85 04:24:20 EDT
References: <807@plus5.UUCP> <5857@utzoo.UUCP>
Organization: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Lines: 20

> > If the current directory is specified as the last directory searched using
> > a trailing ":" instead of ":." (in $PATH) then sh will not find executable
> > files in the current directory.
> 
> Try two trailing colons.  If you read the (post-V7) manual page very
> carefully, this behavior is documented:  colon is effectively functioning
> as a terminator rather than as a separator.

For those without a) post-V7 documentation for the Bourne shell or b) the
patience to try to find it, the magic sentence is:

	Execution
	     ...Note that the current directory is specified by a
	     null path name, which can appear immediately after the
	     equal sign or *between the colon delimiters* anywhere
	     else in the path list.

The italicized phrase is the obscure clue.

	Guy Harris