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Last update: 20 April,2001

								1003.2-92  #17
	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:			pax
	Relevant Sections:	4.48.3


Interpretation Request: (Defect Report)
-----------------------
 
          In Section 4.48.3 - Options {of pax},  the  standard  states 
          that the -k option to pax means ``[p]revent the  overwriting 
          of existing files'' [Draft 12 of IEEE Std 1003.2-1992  (July 
          1992), p. 403, line 7784] and the -n option means: 
 
               Select the first archive member that matches  each 
               pattern operand.  No more than one archive  member 
               shall  be  matched  for  each  pattern   (although 
               members of type directory shall  still  match  the 
               file hierarchy rooted at that file). 
 
          [Ibid., p. 403, lines 7788-7791] 
 
          If both the -k and -n options are specified, and  the  first 
          file matched would cause an existing file to be overwritten, 
          has the offending file been selected, and thus the offending 
          pattern no longer eligible for matching? 

IEEE Interpretation for 1003.2-1992 
-----------------------------------

The wording of the -n option very simply states ``select the
first file that matches the pattern''.  Therefore, even
though the file was not written due to the presence of the
-k option, the file has been selected and the pattern should
not be reused.

Rationale for Interpretation:
-----------------------------

None.
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