busybox: length applet missing (6.4, 7.0beta, others?)

[dentonlt]

I have 6.4 and 7.0beta1 at home - both missing the busyboxy 'length' applet. /usr/bin/length exists.

Perhaps others running 5.x and 4.x can confirm whether the length applet exists on those releases?

[Rich]

Hi dentonlt
On TC4,  length  is missing from  busybox  and  /usr/bin/length  is a link back to  /bin/busybox.

[Juanito]

If you enter the command "busybox" it will list all of the available commands.

[Rich]

Hi Juanito
Yes, I realize that. The command is not compiled into busybox but is included in /usr/bin/:

Code: [Select]

tc@box:~$ which length
/usr/bin/length
tc@box:~$ ls -l /usr/bin/length
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 17 Nov 16  2011 /usr/bin/length -> ../../bin/busybox
tc@box:~$ length
length: applet not found
tc@box:~$

[Juanito]

I looked quickly at a couple of busybox config files and "length" is not mentioned...

[Rich]

Hi Juanito
It is listed here:
https://busybox.net/BusyBox.html#length

[Juanito]

Sure 

I meant that it is not mentioned one way or the other in the config - i.e. whether to compile it in or leave it out.

[Rich]

Hi Juanito
It shows up in this config file under Coreutils:
http://siso.sourceforge.net/ap-busybox-config.html

[curaga]

It was removed from busybox in 2011. We need to remove the symlink.

[Rich]

Hi curaga
Thank, that explains it. It never occurred to me it might have been removed.

[Rich]

Hi Juanito
Sorry if I sent you on a wild goose chase.

[Rich]

Hi dentonlt
According to this:
https://gitlab.com/dstam/sali/blob/master/CHANGELOG

  * Since busybox 1.19.0 command length has been removed. Now using ${#VAR}
    to get the length of the variable VAR.
    Author: Dennis Stam

Code: [Select]

tc@box:~$ echo $PWD
/home/tc
tc@box:~$ echo ${#PWD}
8
tc@box:~$

[dentonlt]

Thanks, all - this makes sense. Good to know the link it was only a loose end.

FWIW ... I expect ${#foo} is faster. Maybe I'll make a little script to find out. :p