Text file end-of-line termination
One problem that I encounter regularly with file sharing text files between different clients; Whether it's a Solaris, UNIX/Linux client, a windows client, and even mac clients; Is how all three differ with how they handle/write the end-of-line termination in text files.
Solaris systems (like other flavours of Unix and Linux) use only a new-line character (dec 10, octal 12); Windows based systems use both a new-line and a carriage return (dec 10 and 13, octal 12 and 15); Whereas mac systems use only a carriage return (dec 13, octal 15).
Solaris provides two appropriately named utilities for translating text files from unix to dos and back again-- unix2dos and dos2unix. The dos2unix function could also be performed with standard Solaris commands:
$ cat myfile | tr -d '\015'
You could also use vi, and execute:
:1,$s/^M//g'
to strip all carriage returns from the file (use Ctrl-V Ctrl-M to generate the ^M character). Likewise, we can do the same for mac files:
$ cat myfile | tr '\015' '\012'
Examples
There are many possibilities, these are just mine. Here are a couple of examples:
The barber-pole effect
This output occurs when a file with only a new-line character EOL is displayed on a system expecting new-line and carriage return characters (ie, a windows system)
And did those feet in ancient time Walk upon England's mountains green: And was the holy Lamb of God, On Engla nd's pleasant pastures seen! And did the Countenance D ivine, Shine forth upon our clouded hills? And was Jeru salem builded here, Among these dark Satanic Mills? Bri ng me my Bow of burning gold; Bring me my Arrows of de sire: Bring me my Spear: O clouds unfold! Bring me my C hariot of fire! I will not cease from Mental Fight, Nor shall my Sword sleep in my hand: Till we have built Je rusalem, In England's green & pleasant Land
The ^M syndome
This occurs when a file with both new-line and carriage return characters are displayed on a system expecting new-lines only
And did those feet in ancient time^M Walk upon England's mountains green:^M And was the holy Lamb of God,^M On England's pleasant pastures seen!^M ^M And did the Countenance Divine,^M Shine forth upon our clouded hills?^M And was Jerusalem builded here,^M Among these dark Satanic Mills?^M ^M Bring me my Bow of burning gold;^M Bring me my Arrows of desire:^M Bring me my Spear: O clouds unfold!^M Bring me my Chariot of fire!^M ^M I will not cease from Mental Fight,^M Nor shall my Sword sleep in my hand:^M Till we have built Jerusalem,^M In England's green & pleasant Land^M