(diff.info)patch Messages


Messages and Questions from `patch'
===================================

   `patch' can produce a variety of messages, especially if it has
trouble decoding its input.  In a few situations where it's not sure how
to proceed, `patch' normally prompts you for more information from the
keyboard.  There are options to suppress printing non-fatal messages
and stopping for keyboard input.

   The message `Hmm...' indicates that `patch' is reading text in the
patch file, attempting to determine whether there is a patch in that
text, and if so, what kind of patch it is.

   You can inhibit all terminal output from `patch', unless an error
occurs, by using the `-s', `--quiet', or `--silent' option.

   There are two ways you can prevent `patch' from asking you any
questions.  The `-f' or `--force' option assumes that you know what you
are doing.  It assumes the following:

   * skip patches that do not contain file names in their headers;

   * patch files even though they have the wrong version for the
     `Prereq:' line in the patch;

   * assume that patches are not reversed even if they look like they
     are.

   The `-t' or `--batch' option is similar to `-f', in that it
suppresses questions, but it makes somewhat different assumptions:

   * skip patches that do not contain file names in their headers (the
     same as `-f');

   * skip patches for which the file has the wrong version for the
     `Prereq:' line in the patch;

   * assume that patches are reversed if they look like they are.

   `patch' exits with a non-zero status if it creates any reject files.
When applying a set of patches in a loop, you should check the exit
status, so you don't apply a later patch to a partially patched file.


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