asa(1) on Solnix vs Linux and the BSDs
On Solnix, asa is the illumos asa at /usr/bin/asa. It matches the FreeBSD asa for the basic space, 0, 1 and + carriage-control characters, but it adds a -f option to start each file on a new page. FreeBSD asa takes no options.
The manual pages
- Solnix: asa(1) from
pkgs.solnix.illumos-world-man· illumos.org - FreeBSD: asa(1) 15.1-RELEASE
- Standard: POSIX.1-2024 (IEEE Std 1003.1-2024),
asa
What Solnix runs
A default Solnix system runs the illumos asa at /usr/bin/asa. No other variants are shipped. The page is published in pkgs.solnix.illumos-world-man. The bundle has no Linux, OpenBSD or NetBSD asa page, so nothing is claimed about those systems.
Differences
| Compared with | Topic | What differs |
|---|---|---|
| FreeBSD | -f option | Solnix asa accepts -f, which starts each file on a new page. The FreeBSD synopsis is only asa [file ...], with no options documented. A script using asa -f works on Solnix but not on FreeBSD.Source: Solnix asa(1) SYNOPSIS, OPTIONS (-f); FreeBSD asa(1) SYNOPSIS |
| FreeBSD | unknown first character | Solnix asa skips any other first character and prints the rest of the line unchanged. FreeBSD says such lines are treated as if they begin with a space. The two descriptions amount to the same output, but they are worded differently. Source: Solnix asa(1) DESCRIPTION (any other character in the first column); FreeBSD asa(1) DESCRIPTION |
| FreeBSD | output of 1 (new page) | Solnix describes 1 as a newpage control sequence, without naming a byte. FreeBSD says it outputs a formfeed character before the rest of the line. The Solnix page does not say which byte is written. Source: Solnix asa(1) DESCRIPTION (1); FreeBSD asa(1) DESCRIPTION (1) |
| FreeBSD | output of + (overprint) | Solnix describes + as a control sequence that returns printing to the first column of the previous line. FreeBSD says the trailing newline of the previous line is replaced by a carriage-return. The Solnix page does not name the byte. Source: Solnix asa(1) DESCRIPTION (+); FreeBSD asa(1) DESCRIPTION (+) |
| FreeBSD | input operands and standard input | Solnix documents that standard input is used when no file operand is given, and also for the operand -. The FreeBSD page does not document standard input or the - operand. Source: Solnix asa(1) OPERANDS, DESCRIPTION; FreeBSD asa(1) SYNOPSIS, DESCRIPTION |
| FreeBSD | environment variables | The Solnix page lists LANG, LC_ALL, LC_CTYPE, LC_MESSAGES and NLSPATH as affecting asa. The FreeBSD page has no ENVIRONMENT section. Source: Solnix asa(1) ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES; FreeBSD asa(1) (no ENVIRONMENT section) |
Standards
- POSIX: asa is a POSIX.1-2024 utility.
- Solnix: Interface Stability: Standard.
- FreeBSD: The asa utility conforms to IEEE Std 1003.1-2001 (“POSIX.1”).
Writing portable scripts
- Do not rely on
-fin portable scripts: FreeBSD documents no options for asa. Run asa with only file operands or standard input.
Every difference here is taken from the manual pages linked above: Solnix's published page, Linux (man-pages and the GNU and util-linux manuals), FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD. Each row names its source. Where a manual is silent, this page is too. Compiled 2026-10-26. Found a mistake? Mail hackers@lists.solnix.io.