README: Update.

[coloredstderr/coloredstderr.git] / README

diff --git a/README b/README
index 5e2209efdd37a5c29813359150938da8f770e31f..3416100224af7572702f2981119692f5eddeecde 100644 (file)
--- a/README
+++ b/README
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 README
 ======
 
 README
 ======
 

-coloredstderr is a small library which uses 'LD_PRELOAD' to color stderr.
+coloredstderr is a small library which uses 'LD_PRELOAD' to color stderr. It
+``follows'' dups, has minimal performance overhead and can ignore certain
+binaries (requires /proc).

 
 
 Like all solutions using 'LD_PRELOAD' it only works with dynamically linked
 
 
 Like all solutions using 'LD_PRELOAD' it only works with dynamically linked


@@ -23,14 +25,17 @@ include:
 Most other existing solutions use a second process which colors its input and
 pipe stderr to it. However this creates different runtime behaviour resulting
 in a different ordering of the output. Partial lines (no newline) also often
 Most other existing solutions use a second process which colors its input and
 pipe stderr to it. However this creates different runtime behaviour resulting
 in a different ordering of the output. Partial lines (no newline) also often

-cause problems.
+cause problems. coloredstderr handles these cases correctly.
+
+coloredstderr is licensed under GPL 3 (or later).

 
 
 DEPENDENCIES
 ------------
 
 - C99 compiler (variable length arrays)
 
 
 DEPENDENCIES
 ------------
 
 - C99 compiler (variable length arrays)

-- dynamic linker/loader which supports 'LD_PRELOAD' (e.g. GNU/Linux's ld.so)
+- dynamic linker/loader which supports 'LD_PRELOAD' (e.g. GNU/Linux's or
+  FreeBSD's ld.so)

 
 
 INSTALLATION
 
 
 INSTALLATION


@@ -93,6 +98,10 @@ The following additional environment variables are available:
   If set to an non-empty value add pre/post strings even when not writing to a
   terminal, e.g. when writing to a file. By default, only writes to a terminal
   are colored.
   If set to an non-empty value add pre/post strings even when not writing to a
   terminal, e.g. when writing to a file. By default, only writes to a terminal
   are colored.

+- 'COLORED_STDERR_IGNORED_BINARIES'
+  Comma separated list of binary names/paths which should not be tracked
+  (including their children). Useful for `reset` which writes to the terminal
+  but fails to work if the output is colored. See below for an example.

 
 All environment variables starting with 'COLORED_STDERR_PRIVATE_*' are
 internal variables used by the implementation and should not be set manually.
 
 All environment variables starting with 'COLORED_STDERR_PRIVATE_*' are
 internal variables used by the implementation and should not be set manually.


@@ -109,10 +118,16 @@ Or to be more compatible you can use the following which should work in any
 Bourne shell:
 
     esc=`printf '\033'`
 Bourne shell:
 
     esc=`printf '\033'`

-    COLORED_STDERR_PRE="${esc}[91m" # red
+    COLORED_STDERR_PRE="${esc}[91m" # bright red

     COLORED_STDERR_POST="${esc}[0m" # default
     export COLORED_STDERR_PRE COLORED_STDERR_POST
 
     COLORED_STDERR_POST="${esc}[0m" # default
     export COLORED_STDERR_PRE COLORED_STDERR_POST
 

+Fix `reset`; its writes to the terminal must be unaltered. `reset` is a
+symbolic-link to `tset` on some systems, adapt as necessary:
+
+    COLORED_STDERR_IGNORED_BINARIES=/usr/bin/tset
+    export COLORED_STDERR_IGNORED_BINARIES
+

 
 DEBUG
 -----
 
 DEBUG
 -----


@@ -139,9 +154,15 @@ warnings are appended at the end.
 KNOWN ISSUES
 ------------
 
 KNOWN ISSUES
 ------------
 

-- `{fputc,putc,putchar}_unlocked()` are not hooked when writing to stdout
-  (which might be redirected to stderr). Can't be fixed as the compiler
+- `{fputc,putc,putchar}_unlocked()` are not hooked with glibc when writing to
+  stdout (which might be redirected to stderr). Can't be fixed as the compiler

   inlines the code into the program without calling any function.
   inlines the code into the program without calling any function.

+- Test `test_stdio.sh` fails on FreeBSD because FreeBSD does handle the above
+  correctly (no inlining), but the test is designed for GNU/Linux.
+- 'COLORED_STDERR_IGNORED_BINARIES' requires the `/proc` file system.
+  Suggestions welcome.
+- Output of `strace` is not always colored correctly as the output from
+  `coloredstderr` is traced and displayed as well.

 
 
 BUGS
 
 
 BUGS