doc: clarify that '%a' stat format outputs mode bits

* src/stat.c (usage): Mention permission bits rather than
"access" so there is no confusion with ACLs etc.
Also indicate we output the file type with '%A'.
* doc/coreutils.texi (stat invocation): Likewise.
Also indicate '%A' is similar to `ls -ld` output.
Addresses https://bugs.gnu.org/39613

diff --git a/doc/coreutils.texi b/doc/coreutils.texi
index cb238f08737d5254ad39172c289c82f987ba0de0..24e424c5413642751fa80fb28d735ef0c5542137 100644 (file)
--- a/doc/coreutils.texi
+++ b/doc/coreutils.texi
@@ -12438,8 +12438,8 @@ The valid @var{format} directives for files with @option{--format} and
 @option{--printf} are:
 
 @itemize @bullet
-@item %a - Access rights in octal (note @samp{#} and @samp{0} printf flags)
-@item %A - Access rights in human readable form
+@item %a - Permission bits in octal (note @samp{#} and @samp{0} printf flags)
+@item %A - Permission bits in symbolic form (similar to @command{ls -ld})
 @item %b - Number of blocks allocated (see @samp{%B})
 @item %B - The size in bytes of each block reported by @samp{%b}
 @item %C - The SELinux security context of a file, if available

diff --git a/src/stat.c b/src/stat.c
index 1fd83ee67b0bbca53a295bac6e73c12488700fc8..63f49d09e1b571460601bc0483ec832b2b8b77ea 100644 (file)
--- a/src/stat.c
+++ b/src/stat.c
@@ -1714,8 +1714,8 @@ The --cached MODE argument can be; always, never, or default.\n\
       fputs (_("\n\
 The valid format sequences for files (without --file-system):\n\
 \n\
-  %a   access rights in octal (note '#' and '0' printf flags)\n\
-  %A   access rights in human readable form\n\
+  %a   permission bits in octal (note '#' and '0' printf flags)\n\
+  %A   permission bits and file type in human readable form\n\
   %b   number of blocks allocated (see %B)\n\
   %B   the size in bytes of each block reported by %b\n\
   %C   SELinux security context string\n\