Re: globbing index*

[zzapper <david@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Benjamin R. Haskell wrote in news:alpine.LNX.2.01.1103071733100.2792@hp:

> On Mon, 7 Mar 2011, zzapper wrote:
> 
>> Hi
>> I'm often diffing two files with a glob knowing that only 2 files match.
>> say index.php and index2.php
>>
>> so when I type
>>> diff index*
>> I can assume that I will get, (but it will always be as clear)
>>
>>> diff index.php index2.php
>>
>> but is there an option to force diff to output the names of actual 
>> files compared?
>>
>> (Having posed myself the problem I've realized that I can always tab 
>> expand)
>>
>>> diff index*<TAB>
>>
> 
> Personally I prefer to keep the unexpanded form for history purposes 
> (next time the glob might match different files).
> 
> To output the names beforehand, you can make a function:
> 
> diff () { echo "Diffing: $@" >&2 ; command diff "$@" }
> 
> The 'command' precommand modifier prevents 'diff' from referring again 
> to the 'function' of the same name.
> 

Yep a wrapper seems the best way. My question might appear | be trivial but 
the number of times I've worried which file was which!

-- 
zzapper
http://zzapper.co.uk/ Technical Tips