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1 | Introduction |
2 | ============ | |
726f6388 | 3 | |
0628567a | 4 | This is GNU Bash, version 3.2. Bash is the GNU Project's Bourne |
ccc6cda3 | 5 | Again SHell, a complete implementation of the POSIX.2 shell spec, |
726f6388 | 6 | but also with interactive command line editing, job control on |
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7 | architectures that support it, csh-like features such as history |
8 | substitution and brace expansion, and a slew of other features. | |
9 | For more information on the features of Bash that are new to this | |
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10 | type of shell, see the file `doc/bashref.texi'. There is also a |
11 | large Unix-style man page. The man page is the definitive description | |
12 | of the shell's features. | |
726f6388 | 13 | |
b80f6443 | 14 | See the file POSIX for a discussion of how the Bash defaults differ |
ccc6cda3 | 15 | from the POSIX.2 spec and a description of the Bash `posix mode'. |
726f6388 | 16 | |
ccc6cda3 | 17 | There are some user-visible incompatibilities between this version |
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18 | of Bash and previous widely-distributed versions, bash-1.14 and |
19 | bash-2.05b. For details, see the file COMPAT. The NEWS file tersely | |
20 | lists features that are new in this release. | |
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22 | Bash is free software, distributed under the terms of the [GNU] |
23 | General Public License, version 2. For more information, see the | |
24 | file COPYING. | |
ccc6cda3 | 25 | |
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26 | A number of frequently-asked questions are answered in the file |
27 | `doc/FAQ'. | |
28 | ||
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29 | To compile Bash, try typing `./configure', then `make'. Bash |
30 | auto-configures the build process, so no further intervention | |
31 | should be necessary. Bash builds with `gcc' by default if it is | |
32 | available. If you want to use `cc' instead, type | |
33 | ||
34 | CC=cc ./configure | |
35 | ||
36 | if you are using a Bourne-style shell. If you are not, the following | |
37 | may work: | |
38 | ||
39 | env CC=cc ./configure | |
40 | ||
41 | Read the file INSTALL in this directory for more information about how | |
42 | to customize and control the build process. The file NOTES contains | |
43 | platform-specific installation and configuration information. | |
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44 | |
45 | If you are a csh user and wish to convert your csh aliases to Bash | |
ccc6cda3 | 46 | aliases, you may wish to use the script `examples/misc/alias-conv.sh' |
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47 | as a starting point. The script `examples/misc/cshtobash' is a |
48 | more ambitious script that attempts to do a more complete job. | |
726f6388 | 49 | |
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50 | Reporting Bugs |
51 | ============== | |
52 | ||
b72432fd | 53 | Bug reports for bash should be sent to: |
726f6388 | 54 | |
bb70624e | 55 | bug-bash@gnu.org |
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56 | |
57 | using the `bashbug' program that is built and installed at the same | |
58 | time as bash. | |
59 | ||
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60 | The discussion list `bug-bash@gnu.org' often contains information |
61 | about new ports of Bash, or discussions of new features or behavior | |
62 | changes that people would like. This mailing list is also available | |
63 | as a usenet newsgroup: gnu.bash.bug. | |
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64 | |
65 | When you send a bug report, please use the `bashbug' program that is | |
66 | built at the same time as bash. If bash fails to build, try building | |
67 | bashbug directly with `make bashbug'. If you cannot build `bashbug', | |
bb70624e | 68 | please send mail to bug-bash@gnu.org with the following information: |
d166f048 | 69 | |
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70 | * the version number and release status of Bash (e.g., 2.05a-release) |
71 | * the machine and OS that it is running on (you may run | |
72 | `bashversion -l' from the bash build directory for this information) | |
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73 | * a list of the compilation flags or the contents of `config.h', if |
74 | appropriate | |
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75 | * a description of the bug |
76 | * a recipe for recreating the bug reliably | |
77 | * a fix for the bug if you have one! | |
78 | ||
79 | The `bashbug' program includes much of this automatically. | |
80 | ||
d166f048 | 81 | If you would like to contact the Bash maintainers directly, send mail |
bb70624e | 82 | to bash-maintainers@gnu.org. |
ccc6cda3 | 83 | |
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84 | While the Bash maintainers do not promise to fix all bugs, we would |
85 | like this shell to be the best that we can make it. | |
86 | ||
87 | Enjoy! | |
88 | ||
89 | Chet Ramey | |
0628567a | 90 | chet.ramey@case.edu |