Fix double apropos output when both alias name and command name match the pattern

Fix double apropos output when both alias name and command name match the pattern

[Philippe Waroquiers]

apropos_cmd first tries to match the command name with the pattern.
If that succeeds, it prints the command and all its aliases not having
a specific doc string.
In this case, it should not try to match the command aliases names as
the command has already been printed.

Without this patch, the behaviour is:
(gdb) alias ter-exec = interpreter-exec
(gdb) apropos er-exe
interpreter-exec, ter-exec -- Execute a command in an interpreter.
interpreter-exec, ter-exec -- Execute a command in an interpreter.
(gdb)

[PATCH] Fix double apropos output when both alias name and command name match the pattern

[Philippe Waroquiers]

apropos_cmd first tries to match the command name with the pattern.
If that succeeds, it prints the command and all its aliases not having
a specific doc string.
In this case, it should not try to match the command aliases names as
the command has already been printed.

Without this patch, the behaviour is:
(gdb) alias ter-exec = interpreter-exec
(gdb) apropos er-exe
interpreter-exec, ter-exec -- Execute a command in an interpreter.
interpreter-exec, ter-exec -- Execute a command in an interpreter.
(gdb)
---
 gdb/cli/cli-decode.c            | 18 ++++++++++--------
 gdb/testsuite/gdb.base/help.exp |  8 ++++++++
 2 files changed, 18 insertions(+), 8 deletions(-)

diff --git a/gdb/cli/cli-decode.c b/gdb/cli/cli-decode.c
index de40faeed59..36f911c2cd6 100644
--- a/gdb/cli/cli-decode.c
+++ b/gdb/cli/cli-decode.c
@@ -1784,16 +1784,18 @@ apropos_cmd (struct ui_file *stream,
 	  returnvalue = regex.search (c->name, name_len, 0, name_len, NULL);
 	  if (returnvalue >= 0)
 	    print_doc_of_command (*c, verbose, regex, stream);
-
-	  /* Try to match against the name of the aliases.  */
-	  for (const cmd_list_element &alias : c->aliases)
+	  else
 	    {
-	      name_len = strlen (alias.name);
-	      returnvalue = regex.search (alias.name, name_len, 0, name_len, NULL);
-	      if (returnvalue >= 0)
+	      /* Try to match against the name of the aliases.  */
+	      for (const cmd_list_element &alias : c->aliases)
 		{
-		  print_doc_of_command (*c, verbose, regex, stream);
-		  break;
+		  name_len = strlen (alias.name);
+		  returnvalue = regex.search (alias.name, name_len, 0, name_len, NULL);
+		  if (returnvalue >= 0)
+		    {
+		      print_doc_of_command (*c, verbose, regex, stream);
+		      break;
+		    }
 		}
 	    }
 	}
diff --git a/gdb/testsuite/gdb.base/help.exp b/gdb/testsuite/gdb.base/help.exp
index a8c55721ef2..6a88c8d4db2 100644
--- a/gdb/testsuite/gdb.base/help.exp
+++ b/gdb/testsuite/gdb.base/help.exp
@@ -135,6 +135,14 @@ gdb_test_no_output "alias mybt10 = backtrace 10" "define mybt10 alias"
 gdb_test "apropos Print backtrace of all stack frames, or innermost COUNT frames\." \
     "backtrace, mybt10, mybt, where, bt -- Print backtrace of all stack frames, or innermost COUNT frames\.\[\r\n\]+  alias mybt10 = backtrace 10"
 
+# Test apropos when both the alias name and the aliased command match the pattern.
+gdb_test_no_output "alias ter-exec = interpreter-exec" "define ter-exec alias"
+gdb_test_multiple "apropos er-exe" "check we have a single output line when alias and command name match" {
+    -re "^apropos er-exe\r\ninterpreter-exec, ter-exec -- Execute a command in an interpreter\.\r\n$gdb_prompt $" {
+	pass $gdb_test_name
+    }
+}
+
 # Test help for commands having aliases.
 gdb_test "help bt" "backtrace, mybt10, mybt, where, bt\[\r\n\]+  alias mybt10 = backtrace 10\[\r\n\]+Print backtrace of all stack frames, or innermost COUNT frames\..*"
 
-- 
2.47.3

Re: [PATCH] Fix double apropos output when both alias name and command name match the pattern

[Philippe Waroquiers]

Ping ?
Thanks
Philippe

On Sun, 2026-05-31 at 18:37 +0200, Philippe Waroquiers wrote:
> apropos_cmd first tries to match the command name with the pattern.
> If that succeeds, it prints the command and all its aliases not having
> a specific doc string.
> In this case, it should not try to match the command aliases names as
> the command has already been printed.
> 
> Without this patch, the behaviour is:
> (gdb) alias ter-exec = interpreter-exec
> (gdb) apropos er-exe
> interpreter-exec, ter-exec -- Execute a command in an interpreter.
> interpreter-exec, ter-exec -- Execute a command in an interpreter.
> (gdb)
> ---
>  gdb/cli/cli-decode.c            | 18 ++++++++++--------
>  gdb/testsuite/gdb.base/help.exp |  8 ++++++++
>  2 files changed, 18 insertions(+), 8 deletions(-)
> 
> diff --git a/gdb/cli/cli-decode.c b/gdb/cli/cli-decode.c
> index de40faeed59..36f911c2cd6 100644
> --- a/gdb/cli/cli-decode.c
> +++ b/gdb/cli/cli-decode.c
> @@ -1784,16 +1784,18 @@ apropos_cmd (struct ui_file *stream,
>  	  returnvalue = regex.search (c->name, name_len, 0, name_len, NULL);
>  	  if (returnvalue >= 0)
>  	    print_doc_of_command (*c, verbose, regex, stream);
> -
> -	  /* Try to match against the name of the aliases.  */
> -	  for (const cmd_list_element &alias : c->aliases)
> +	  else
>  	    {
> -	      name_len = strlen (alias.name);
> -	      returnvalue = regex.search (alias.name, name_len, 0, name_len, NULL);
> -	      if (returnvalue >= 0)
> +	      /* Try to match against the name of the aliases.  */
> +	      for (const cmd_list_element &alias : c->aliases)
>  		{
> -		  print_doc_of_command (*c, verbose, regex, stream);
> -		  break;
> +		  name_len = strlen (alias.name);
> +		  returnvalue = regex.search (alias.name, name_len, 0, name_len, NULL);
> +		  if (returnvalue >= 0)
> +		    {
> +		      print_doc_of_command (*c, verbose, regex, stream);
> +		      break;
> +		    }
>  		}
>  	    }
>  	}
> diff --git a/gdb/testsuite/gdb.base/help.exp b/gdb/testsuite/gdb.base/help.exp
> index a8c55721ef2..6a88c8d4db2 100644
> --- a/gdb/testsuite/gdb.base/help.exp
> +++ b/gdb/testsuite/gdb.base/help.exp
> @@ -135,6 +135,14 @@ gdb_test_no_output "alias mybt10 = backtrace 10" "define mybt10 alias"
>  gdb_test "apropos Print backtrace of all stack frames, or innermost COUNT frames\." \
>      "backtrace, mybt10, mybt, where, bt -- Print backtrace of all stack frames, or innermost COUNT frames\.\[\r\n\]+  alias mybt10 = backtrace 10"
>  
> +# Test apropos when both the alias name and the aliased command match the pattern.
> +gdb_test_no_output "alias ter-exec = interpreter-exec" "define ter-exec alias"
> +gdb_test_multiple "apropos er-exe" "check we have a single output line when alias and command name match" {
> +    -re "^apropos er-exe\r\ninterpreter-exec, ter-exec -- Execute a command in an interpreter\.\r\n$gdb_prompt $" {
> +	pass $gdb_test_name
> +    }
> +}
> +
>  # Test help for commands having aliases.
>  gdb_test "help bt" "backtrace, mybt10, mybt, where, bt\[\r\n\]+  alias mybt10 = backtrace 10\[\r\n\]+Print backtrace of all stack frames, or innermost COUNT frames\..*"
>  

Re: [PATCH] Fix double apropos output when both alias name and command name match the pattern

[Philippe Waroquiers]

Ping ^ 2 ?
Thanks
Philippe

On Tue, 2026-06-16 at 20:51 +0200, Philippe Waroquiers wrote:
> Ping ?
> Thanks
> Philippe
> 
> On Sun, 2026-05-31 at 18:37 +0200, Philippe Waroquiers wrote:
> > apropos_cmd first tries to match the command name with the pattern.
> > If that succeeds, it prints the command and all its aliases not having
> > a specific doc string.
> > In this case, it should not try to match the command aliases names as
> > the command has already been printed.
> > 
> > Without this patch, the behaviour is:
> > (gdb) alias ter-exec = interpreter-exec
> > (gdb) apropos er-exe
> > interpreter-exec, ter-exec -- Execute a command in an interpreter.
> > interpreter-exec, ter-exec -- Execute a command in an interpreter.
> > (gdb)
> > ---
> >  gdb/cli/cli-decode.c            | 18 ++++++++++--------
> >  gdb/testsuite/gdb.base/help.exp |  8 ++++++++
> >  2 files changed, 18 insertions(+), 8 deletions(-)
> > 
> > diff --git a/gdb/cli/cli-decode.c b/gdb/cli/cli-decode.c
> > index de40faeed59..36f911c2cd6 100644
> > --- a/gdb/cli/cli-decode.c
> > +++ b/gdb/cli/cli-decode.c
> > @@ -1784,16 +1784,18 @@ apropos_cmd (struct ui_file *stream,
> >  	  returnvalue = regex.search (c->name, name_len, 0, name_len, NULL);
> >  	  if (returnvalue >= 0)
> >  	    print_doc_of_command (*c, verbose, regex, stream);
> > -
> > -	  /* Try to match against the name of the aliases.  */
> > -	  for (const cmd_list_element &alias : c->aliases)
> > +	  else
> >  	    {
> > -	      name_len = strlen (alias.name);
> > -	      returnvalue = regex.search (alias.name, name_len, 0, name_len, NULL);
> > -	      if (returnvalue >= 0)
> > +	      /* Try to match against the name of the aliases.  */
> > +	      for (const cmd_list_element &alias : c->aliases)
> >  		{
> > -		  print_doc_of_command (*c, verbose, regex, stream);
> > -		  break;
> > +		  name_len = strlen (alias.name);
> > +		  returnvalue = regex.search (alias.name, name_len, 0, name_len, NULL);
> > +		  if (returnvalue >= 0)
> > +		    {
> > +		      print_doc_of_command (*c, verbose, regex, stream);
> > +		      break;
> > +		    }
> >  		}
> >  	    }
> >  	}
> > diff --git a/gdb/testsuite/gdb.base/help.exp b/gdb/testsuite/gdb.base/help.exp
> > index a8c55721ef2..6a88c8d4db2 100644
> > --- a/gdb/testsuite/gdb.base/help.exp
> > +++ b/gdb/testsuite/gdb.base/help.exp
> > @@ -135,6 +135,14 @@ gdb_test_no_output "alias mybt10 = backtrace 10" "define mybt10 alias"
> >  gdb_test "apropos Print backtrace of all stack frames, or innermost COUNT frames\." \
> >      "backtrace, mybt10, mybt, where, bt -- Print backtrace of all stack frames, or innermost COUNT frames\.\[\r\n\]+  alias mybt10 = backtrace 10"
> >  
> > +# Test apropos when both the alias name and the aliased command match the pattern.
> > +gdb_test_no_output "alias ter-exec = interpreter-exec" "define ter-exec alias"
> > +gdb_test_multiple "apropos er-exe" "check we have a single output line when alias and command name match" {
> > +    -re "^apropos er-exe\r\ninterpreter-exec, ter-exec -- Execute a command in an interpreter\.\r\n$gdb_prompt $" {
> > +	pass $gdb_test_name
> > +    }
> > +}
> > +
> >  # Test help for commands having aliases.
> >  gdb_test "help bt" "backtrace, mybt10, mybt, where, bt\[\r\n\]+  alias mybt10 = backtrace 10\[\r\n\]+Print backtrace of all stack frames, or innermost COUNT frames\..*"
> >  

Re: [PATCH] Fix double apropos output when both alias name and command name match the pattern

[Guinevere Larsen]

On 5/31/26 1:37 PM, Philippe Waroquiers wrote:
> apropos_cmd first tries to match the command name with the pattern.
> If that succeeds, it prints the command and all its aliases not having
> a specific doc string.
> In this case, it should not try to match the command aliases names as
> the command has already been printed.
>
> Without this patch, the behaviour is:
> (gdb) alias ter-exec = interpreter-exec
> (gdb) apropos er-exe
> interpreter-exec, ter-exec -- Execute a command in an interpreter.
> interpreter-exec, ter-exec -- Execute a command in an interpreter.
> (gdb)
> ---

Hi! Thanks for working on this and sorry for the delay in getting a review.

This looks like a pretty good and straight-forward change. Hopefully it 
gets approved soon.

Reviewed-By: Guinevere Larsen <guinevere@redhat.com>

-- 
Cheers,
Guinevere Larsen
it/its
she/her (deprecated)

>   gdb/cli/cli-decode.c            | 18 ++++++++++--------
>   gdb/testsuite/gdb.base/help.exp |  8 ++++++++
>   2 files changed, 18 insertions(+), 8 deletions(-)
>
> diff --git a/gdb/cli/cli-decode.c b/gdb/cli/cli-decode.c
> index de40faeed59..36f911c2cd6 100644
> --- a/gdb/cli/cli-decode.c
> +++ b/gdb/cli/cli-decode.c
> @@ -1784,16 +1784,18 @@ apropos_cmd (struct ui_file *stream,
>   	  returnvalue = regex.search (c->name, name_len, 0, name_len, NULL);
>   	  if (returnvalue >= 0)
>   	    print_doc_of_command (*c, verbose, regex, stream);
> -
> -	  /* Try to match against the name of the aliases.  */
> -	  for (const cmd_list_element &alias : c->aliases)
> +	  else
>   	    {
> -	      name_len = strlen (alias.name);
> -	      returnvalue = regex.search (alias.name, name_len, 0, name_len, NULL);
> -	      if (returnvalue >= 0)
> +	      /* Try to match against the name of the aliases.  */
> +	      for (const cmd_list_element &alias : c->aliases)
>   		{
> -		  print_doc_of_command (*c, verbose, regex, stream);
> -		  break;
> +		  name_len = strlen (alias.name);
> +		  returnvalue = regex.search (alias.name, name_len, 0, name_len, NULL);
> +		  if (returnvalue >= 0)
> +		    {
> +		      print_doc_of_command (*c, verbose, regex, stream);
> +		      break;
> +		    }
>   		}
>   	    }
>   	}
> diff --git a/gdb/testsuite/gdb.base/help.exp b/gdb/testsuite/gdb.base/help.exp
> index a8c55721ef2..6a88c8d4db2 100644
> --- a/gdb/testsuite/gdb.base/help.exp
> +++ b/gdb/testsuite/gdb.base/help.exp
> @@ -135,6 +135,14 @@ gdb_test_no_output "alias mybt10 = backtrace 10" "define mybt10 alias"
>   gdb_test "apropos Print backtrace of all stack frames, or innermost COUNT frames\." \
>       "backtrace, mybt10, mybt, where, bt -- Print backtrace of all stack frames, or innermost COUNT frames\.\[\r\n\]+  alias mybt10 = backtrace 10"
>   
> +# Test apropos when both the alias name and the aliased command match the pattern.
> +gdb_test_no_output "alias ter-exec = interpreter-exec" "define ter-exec alias"
> +gdb_test_multiple "apropos er-exe" "check we have a single output line when alias and command name match" {
> +    -re "^apropos er-exe\r\ninterpreter-exec, ter-exec -- Execute a command in an interpreter\.\r\n$gdb_prompt $" {
> +	pass $gdb_test_name
> +    }
> +}
> +
>   # Test help for commands having aliases.
>   gdb_test "help bt" "backtrace, mybt10, mybt, where, bt\[\r\n\]+  alias mybt10 = backtrace 10\[\r\n\]+Print backtrace of all stack frames, or innermost COUNT frames\..*"
>