[Tcl-bugs] [ tcl-Bugs-703807 ] misleading documentation: lsearch,lsort

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Bugs item #703807, was opened at 2003-03-14 19:53
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Category: 16. Commands I-L
Group: 8.4.2
Status: Open
Resolution: None
Priority: 5
Submitted By: Nobody/Anonymous (nobody)
Assigned to: Donal K. Fellows (dkf)
Summary: misleading documentation: lsearch,lsort

Initial Comment:
From man lsearch:
"-ascii 
The list elements are to be examined as ASCII strings. 
This option is only meaningful when used with -exact or -
sorted. "

From man lsort:
"-ascii 
Use string comparison with ASCII collation order. This is 
the default. "

In both cases no implicit [encoding convertto ascii] 
takes place, as one might understand the 
documentation, and all Unicodes are accepted (I hope!). 

In the lsearch case, dropping the word ASCII might be 
enough.

In the lsort case, I strongly suspect that Unicode 
collation order applies. So as not to break code, the 
switch names should not be changed; but the 
documentation should tell the truth (and maybe, to 
prevent all misunderstanding, add the phrase "not 
limited to ASCII" in both cases).

Ric...@si...

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>Comment By: Donal K. Fellows (dkf)
Date: 2003-03-14 22:10

Message:
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Err, the point is that the '-ascii' ordering is using the
"Know-nothing character-wise ordering".  I'd hate to assert
that this is the Unicode collation ordering though; that
might be (and, knowing the Unicode consortium, probably is,
what with surrogates) slightly different...

We're really after "Stupid string programmer ordering" but I
can't call it that in documentation.  :)  

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