Re: verbose testsuite output contains 1M newlines

[dropping bug-m4 for this post]

According to Ralf Wildenhues on 4/14/2009 1:26 PM:
> Almost.  It seems inconsistent that only ignore-nolog allows non-text
> output.  What about ensuring that std{out,err}-nolog do likewise, by
> sending some large lines to all three in a test?

Or even files that lack a trailing newline, or contain non-printing
characters (or all three).  I'm working up a test, and will post it, along
with the other patches, as a series when I'm complete.

> Also, can we use 'diff' for comparing non-text files?  POSIX seems to
> say yes, and autoconf.info doesn't disagree, but my memory isn't clear
> on this.  A test could find this out for us.

POSIX requires it (think about the special rules for when a file does not
have a trailing newline, and about 'binary files differ'.  Depending on
the exact behavior is thus non-portable, but detecting same vs. different
should be portable.  But adding the above test should provide enough of a
stress test that we can find out about any broken diff apps out there.

--
Don't work too hard, make some time for fun as well!

Eric Blake             ebb9 <at> byu.net