Argument list too long

[Robin Laing]

Todd Zullinger wrote:
> Robin Laing wrote:
>> With the number of multimedia files on computers, this is becoming
>> an issue.  Many applications don't know how to work with xargs by
>> default.  Maybe it is time to start putting in bug reports for these
>> applications.
> 
> Just out of curiosity, what sort of apps are you thinking of that have
> problems with xargs?  Are you talking about apps that call out to a
> shell and don't take care not to pass more than ARG_MAX?  Or are there
> apps that just can't use xargs for some reason?
> 
> 

Applications that call another routine or process files in the 
background.  I don't know if they have a problem with xargs but they 
have a problem with "Argument list too long" errors when using them. 
How do you call xargs from a GUI application?

The easiest headache to describe for me is usenet binary posts read in 
Pan.  Some people will post a binary file that is 2000 or 3000 parts, 
though small but still numerous.  With the file name lengths and 
whatever else is needed for Pan to join and/or decode the files, I get 
error messages or crashes.  This is in the background so I don't know 
what happens that causes it.

Trying to decode these multipart files in a CLI is also impossible, even 
within the same directory.  Heck, some of the file names are 60 or more 
characters in length.

I have tried to use xargs before but not much luck.  Lack of time to 
play and learn how to pipe everything in the correct way.  I have only 
learned about xargs a short while ago.


My point in my other post is for new users, this is a real pain to deal 
with.  In this day and age, it shouldn't be an issue as memory is now 
much cheaper and larger than the days when this limit was put into place.

-- 
Due to the move to Exchange Server,
    anything that is a priority, please phone.
Robin Laing