[Bug 1847152] [NEW] printf escape sentences are insufficiently documented

[Christopher Yeleighton]

Public bug reported:

The info page for ‘printf’ is misleading because the C ‘printf’ function
does not interpret any escape sequences.  So, interpreting this
specification literally, all escape sequences are differences but not
all of them are listed below.  In particular, the sequence ‘\e’ is not
listed.

1) The release of Ubuntu you are using, via 'lsb_release -rd' or System -> About Ubuntu
19.04
2) The version of the package you are using, via 'apt-cache policy pkgname' or by checking in Software Center
8.30-1ubuntu1
3) What you expected to happen
   ‘printf’ prints the FORMAT string,  interpreting ‘\’ escapes as specified below
and interpreting ‘%’ directives
 to format numeric and string arguments in a way that is
mostly similar to the C ‘printf’ function.  *Note ‘printf’ format
directives: (libc)Output Conversion Syntax, for details.  The
differences are listed below.

4) What happened instead

   ‘printf’ prints the FORMAT string, interpreting ‘%’ directives and
‘\’ escapes to format numeric and string arguments in a way that is
mostly similar to the C ‘printf’ function.  *Note ‘printf’ format
directives: (libc)Output Conversion Syntax, for details.  The
differences are listed below.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 19.04
Package: coreutils 8.30-1ubuntu1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 5.0.0-31.33-generic 5.0.21
Uname: Linux 5.0.0-31-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.20.10-0ubuntu27.1
Architecture: amd64
CurrentDesktop: ubuntu:GNOME
Date: Mon Oct  7 23:24:39 2019
ProcEnviron:
 TERM=xterm-256color
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set>
 LANG=pl_PL.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: coreutils
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

** Affects: coreutils (Ubuntu)
     Importance: Undecided
         Status: New


** Tags: amd64 apport-bug disco

-- 
You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu
Foundations Bugs, which is subscribed to coreutils in Ubuntu.
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1847152

Title:
  printf escape sentences are insufficiently documented

Status in coreutils package in Ubuntu:
  New

Bug description:
  The info page for ‘printf’ is misleading because the C ‘printf’
  function does not interpret any escape sequences.  So, interpreting
  this specification literally, all escape sequences are differences but
  not all of them are listed below.  In particular, the sequence ‘\e’ is
  not listed.

  1) The release of Ubuntu you are using, via 'lsb_release -rd' or System -> About Ubuntu
  19.04
  2) The version of the package you are using, via 'apt-cache policy pkgname' or by checking in Software Center
  8.30-1ubuntu1
  3) What you expected to happen
     ‘printf’ prints the FORMAT string,  interpreting ‘\’ escapes as specified below
  and interpreting ‘%’ directives
   to format numeric and string arguments in a way that is
  mostly similar to the C ‘printf’ function.  *Note ‘printf’ format
  directives: (libc)Output Conversion Syntax, for details.  The
  differences are listed below.

  4) What happened instead

     ‘printf’ prints the FORMAT string, interpreting ‘%’ directives and
  ‘\’ escapes to format numeric and string arguments in a way that is
  mostly similar to the C ‘printf’ function.  *Note ‘printf’ format
  directives: (libc)Output Conversion Syntax, for details.  The
  differences are listed below.

  ProblemType: Bug
  DistroRelease: Ubuntu 19.04
  Package: coreutils 8.30-1ubuntu1
  ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 5.0.0-31.33-generic 5.0.21
  Uname: Linux 5.0.0-31-generic x86_64
  ApportVersion: 2.20.10-0ubuntu27.1
  Architecture: amd64
  CurrentDesktop: ubuntu:GNOME
  Date: Mon Oct  7 23:24:39 2019
  ProcEnviron:
   TERM=xterm-256color
   PATH=(custom, no user)
   XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set>
   LANG=pl_PL.UTF-8
   SHELL=/bin/bash
  SourcePackage: coreutils
  UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

To manage notifications about this bug go to:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/coreutils/+bug/1847152/+subscriptions