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Last update: 20 April,2001

								1003.2-92  #12

	Class: No change.

This response will be incorporated in an IEEE interpretations
publication, and will be also made available on-line on the IEEE 
SPAsystem.

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	Interpretation Number:	(to be assigned by the IEEE)
	Topic:			patch
	Relevant Sections:	5.22.7.1


Interpretation Request: (Defect Report)
-----------------------
 
          In Section 5.22.7.1 - Patchfile Format, the standard  states 
          that ``[e]ach patch shall contain  zero  or  more  lines  of 
          filename identification in the format produced  by  diff  -c 
          (see 4.17), and one or  more  sets  of  diff  output,  which 
          customarily are called ``hunks.''''  [Draft 12 of  IEEE  Std 
          1003.2-1992 (July 1992), p. 619, lines 3564-3566] 
 
          Since there is no restriction placed on  the  sets  of  diff 
          output, is the following a valid patch? 
 
               *** dummy~ Thu Nov 19 14:55:01 1992 
               --- dummy Thu Nov 19 14:55:01 1992 
               18d17 
               < Ababa 
               20c19,21 
               < abacus 
               --- 
               > Ababa 
               > abcaus 
               > test 
 
          If not, and ``hunks'' are only intended to be  context  diff 
          hunks, then this section is incomplete, since  it  fails  to 
          specify the format of ``regular diff'' and ``ed'' patches. 
 

IEEE Interpretation for 1003.2-1992 
-----------------------------------
The utility is required to interpret the information within each hunk as
described in Section 5.22.7.3, lines 3591-3594.

Rationale for Interpretation:
-----------------------------
None.
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