standards/51292: [PATCH] add ecvt()/fcvt()/gcvt() functions (SUSv3)

[David Schultz]

The following reply was made to PR standards/51292; it has been noted by GNATS.

From: David Schultz <das at FreeBSD.ORG>
To: "Sergey A. Osokin" <osa at freebsd.org.ru>
Cc: Bruce Evans <bde at zeta.org.au>, FreeBSD-gnats-submit at FreeBSD.ORG,
	freebsd-standards at FreeBSD.ORG
Subject: Re: standards/51292: [PATCH] add ecvt()/fcvt()/gcvt() functions (SUSv3)
Date: Wed, 23 Apr 2003 06:11:09 -0700

 On Wed, Apr 23, 2003, Sergey A. Osokin wrote:
 > On Wed, Apr 23, 2003 at 07:28:49AM +1000, Bruce Evans wrote:
 > > On Wed, 23 Apr 2003, Sergey A.Osokin wrote:
 > > 
 > > > >Description:
 > > > 	add ecvt()/fcvt()/gcvt() functions (SUSv3) (obtained from OpenBSD)
 > > > 	+ add locale-specific tricks
 > > 
 > > > +.Sh DESCRIPTION
 > > > +.Bf -symbolic
 > > > +These functions are provided for compatibility with legacy code.
 > > > +New code should use the
 > > > +.Xr snprintf 3
 > > > +function for improved safety and portability.
 > > 
 > > This statement was true 15 years ago when C90, (er, only 13 years ago)
 > > didn't standardize these functions.  At least FreeBSD hasn't needed them
 > > for 10 years.  Bringing them back now is a bug in whatever standards have
 > > them IMO.  Unfortunately, POSIX.1 has them in its XSI section.
 > 
 > So, why OpenBSDers add them 4 monthes ago to they source tree?
 > 
 > Also quote from SUSv3:
 > CHANGE HISTORY
 >     First released in Issue 4, Version 2.
 > Issue 5
 >     Moved from X/OPEN UNIX extension to BASE.
 
 Nobody uses these functions anymore, so it doesn't seem
 particularly useful to implement them now, given that snprintf()
 provides almost equivalent functionality.  Any active standards
 that still require them will most likely drop them in the near
 future.  Is there a particular application you were trying to
 compile that prompted you to submit these patches?