RHBA-2013:0052 - Bug Fix Advisory

Topic

Updated tcsh617 package that fixes three bugs is now available for Red Hat
Enterprise Linux 5.

Description

The tcsh617 package is a mutually-exclusive replacement for the tcsh package.
Tcsh is a command language interpreter compatible with the C shell (csh), which
can be used as an interactive login shell, as well as a shell script command
processor.

This update fixes the following bugs:

• Prior to this update, the tcsh617 processes were not handling the ".history"

file exclusively. Consequently, when running several tcsh617 processes
simultaneously, the .history file got malformed. This behavior, apart from
corrupting .history content, slowed down the startup of the tcsh617 scripts.
With this update, the .history file locking mechanism has been introduced. As a
result, the file is merged correctly after modification by several processes.
(BZ#648592)

• The tcsh617 package introduced a change in the default value of the $status

variable for lists and pipelines. This change was made to provide compatibility
with POSIX-compliant shells, like bash, ksh, resh, etc. However, the
modification affected existing applications, which relied on previous csh
behavior, present for many years. With this update, the $status value has been
reverted to the csh default. In addition, the $tcsh_posix_status variable has
been added to opt-in the POSIX-like behavior. As a result, compliance with both
csh and POSIX is made possible within tcsh617. (BZ#759132)

• Due to a syntax error in the tcsh617 package, the source command failed to

function correctly when a single-line if-statement was used. This bug has been
fixed and the source command now works properly in the described scenario.
(BZ#858281)

All users of tcsh617 are advised to upgrade to this updated package, which fixes
these bugs.

Solution

Before applying this update, make sure all previously-released errata
relevant to your system have been applied.

This update is available via the Red Hat Network. Details on how to
use the Red Hat Network to apply this update are available at
https://access.redhat.com/knowledge/articles/11258

Affected Products

• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 5 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 5 ia64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 5 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation 5 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation 5 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop 5 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop 5 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for IBM z Systems 5 s390x
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for Power, big endian 5 ppc
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server from RHUI 5 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server from RHUI 5 i386

Fixes

• BZ - 759132 - Fix regression in default $status value in case of lists/pipelines
• BZ - 858281 - source command fails with single-line if-statement

CVEs

(none)

References

(none)