[Bug 1786625] Re: "find" command throws nonsense error message

[Andreas Metzler]

Hello,

If you run "find . -name *.txt" in a directory containing foo.txt and
bar.txt then the shell expands *.txt before executing find, i.e. you
would be running "find . -name foo.txt bar.txt" which produces a syntax
error. Either quote ('*.txt') or escape (\*.txt) the argument.

Closing.

** Changed in: findutils (Ubuntu)
       Status: New => Invalid

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Title:
  "find" command throws nonsense error message

Status in findutils package in Ubuntu:
  Invalid

Bug description:
  Steps to reproduce:

  1. Run this command from a terminal:
  $ find . -name *.txt

  Expected result:
  It should list all the files found in the current directory or any descendant directory whose name ends in ".txt". It may or may not find matching files, depending on whether there are or there aren't.
  If there's something wrong in my command, then it should ALWAYS consistently issue a sensible error message explaining what's wrong with my command, and that should happen regardless of the contents of the current directory.

  Observed results:
  If there are no .txt files to be found, it behaves as expected (i.e., no results, no error message).
  If there are files ending in .txt, sometimes it behaves as expected, showing the results.

  If, however, there are files ending in ".txt" with dashes ("-") or spaces (" ") in the filename, AND there is more than one file that matches the criteria, then it displays this completely nonsensical error message:
  ````````````
  find: paths must precede expression: XXXXXXXXXXXX.txt
  Usage: find [-H] [-L] [-P] [-Olevel] [-D help|tree|search|stat|rates|opt|exec|time] [path...] [expression]
  ````````````
  where "XXXXXXXXXXXXX.txt" is  an actual filename of a matching file.

  For example, this will reproduce the issue:
  ````````````````````````````
  $ echo "lalala" > aaa.txt
  $ echo "lololo" > foo-bar.txt
  $ find . -name *.txt
  find: paths must precede expression: foo-bar.txt
  Usage: find [-H] [-L] [-P] [-Olevel] [-D help|tree|search|stat|rates|opt|exec|time] [path...] [expression]
  ````````````````````````````

  ProblemType: Bug
  DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.04
  Package: linux-image-4.4.0-131-generic 4.4.0-131.157
  ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.4.0-131.157-generic 4.4.134
  Uname: Linux 4.4.0-131-generic x86_64
  NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia_uvm nvidia
  ApportVersion: 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.18
  Architecture: amd64
  AudioDevicesInUse:
   USER        PID ACCESS COMMAND
   /dev/snd/controlC0:  teo        2898 F.... pulseaudio
  CurrentDesktop: Unity
  Date: Sat Aug 11 17:30:54 2018
  HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=ff7e702a-a05a-47fd-8c14-551e81f9e9e3
  InstallationDate: Installed on 2013-10-11 (1764 days ago)
  InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 13.04 "Raring Ringtail" - Release amd64 (20130424)
  MachineType: Acer Aspire V3-571G
  ProcFB: 0 inteldrmfb
  ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-131-generic.efi.signed root=UUID=5830b30e-69e8-4bb4-8a2b-bc2b43c7414a ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
  RelatedPackageVersions:
   linux-restricted-modules-4.4.0-131-generic N/A
   linux-backports-modules-4.4.0-131-generic  N/A
   linux-firmware                             1.157.20
  SourcePackage: linux
  UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
  dmi.bios.date: 10/15/2012
  dmi.bios.vendor: Acer
  dmi.bios.version: V2.07
  dmi.board.asset.tag: Type2 - Board Asset Tag
  dmi.board.name: VA50_HC_CR
  dmi.board.vendor: Acer
  dmi.board.version: Type2 - Board Version
  dmi.chassis.type: 10
  dmi.chassis.vendor: Acer
  dmi.chassis.version: V2.07
  dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAcer:bvrV2.07:bd10/15/2012:svnAcer:pnAspireV3-571G:pvrV2.07:rvnAcer:rnVA50_HC_CR:rvrType2-BoardVersion:cvnAcer:ct10:cvrV2.07:
  dmi.product.name: Aspire V3-571G
  dmi.product.version: V2.07
  dmi.sys.vendor: Acer

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