Defeated by "alternatives": unison

[Larry Hall (Cygwin)]

On 12/29/2009 09:28 PM, Steven E. Harris wrote:
> Since updating my Cygwin installation to version 1.7, I can no longer
> run "unison" from the command line. Unison uses the "alternatives"
> facility to select among multiple installed versions. The symbolic links
> all look to be set up properly, but the program can't be invoked in the
> normal ways.
>
> I've tried this same sequence of commands using the shells zsh, bash,
> and ash, and all fail in the same way.
>
> Witness:
>
> ,----
> | % which unison
> | unison not found
> |
> | % /usr/sbin/alternatives --display unison
> | unison - status is manual.
> |  link currently points to /usr/bin/unison-2.27
> | /usr/bin/unison-2.32 - priority 2032
> | /usr/bin/unison-2.27 - priority 2027
> | Current `best' version is /usr/bin/unison-2.32.
> |
> | % ls -l /usr/bin/unison*
> | -rwxr-xr-x 1 seh root 1076224 2009-10-01 11:27 /usr/bin/unison-2.27.exe
> | -rwxr-xr-x 1 seh root 1123840 2009-10-01 11:31 /usr/bin/unison-2.32.exe
> | lrwxrwxrwx 1 seh None      28 2005-03-24 22:09 /usr/bin/unison.exe ->
> |                                                /etc/alternatives/unison.exe
> |
> | torus:~% /usr/bin/unison
> | zsh: no such file or directory: /usr/bin/unison
> |
> | % /usr/bin/unison.exe
> | zsh: no such file or directory: /usr/bin/unison.exe
> |
> | % /etc/alternatives/unison
> | Usage: unison [options]
> |     or unison root1 root2 [options]
> |     or unison profilename [options]
> |
> | For a list of options, type "unison -help".
> | For a tutorial on basic usage, type "unison -doc tutorial".
> | For other documentation, type "unison -doc topics".
> `----
>
> I used to just be able to type "unison" at the command prompt and invoke
> it like any other program. Is this a permissions problem? I have found
> that other programs using the "alternatives" facility work as
> expected. Why is "unison" different?

WJFFM.  Try looking at your file permissions to see if you can find anything
revealing.

-- 
Larry Hall                              http://www.rfk.com
RFK Partners, Inc.                      (508) 893-9779 - RFK Office
216 Dalton Rd.                          (508) 893-9889 - FAX
Holliston, MA 01746

_____________________________________________________________________

A: Yes.
 > Q: Are you sure?
 >> A: Because it reverses the logical flow of conversation.
 >>> Q: Why is top posting annoying in email?

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