confusing output when running `gpg --delete-secrete-keys` without name
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PWRzTOtacorTPq7KNW4oFec8F
May 28 2020, 10:07 PM

Description

Not sure if this is the right tag / category, sorry for that, feel free to move to feature request if it fits better there.

The output of gpg --delete-secrete-keys and similar without name is confusing:

$ gpg --delete-secret-keys 
gpg (GnuPG) 2.2.4; Copyright (C) 2017 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it.
There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.

$ gpg --delete-secret-and-public-keys 
gpg (GnuPG) 2.2.4; Copyright (C) 2017 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it.
There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.

$ gpg --delete-keys 
gpg (GnuPG) 2.2.4; Copyright (C) 2017 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it.
There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.

Would it be easier on the user to write a small message saying that a user name is required rather?

Results obtained on Ubuntu 18.04:

$ gpg --version
gpg (GnuPG) 2.2.4
libgcrypt 1.8.1

Details

Version
2.2.4

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Event Timeline

PWRzTOtacorTPq7KNW4oFec8F renamed this task from confusing output when running ```gpg --delete-secrete-keys``` without name to confusing output when running `gpg --delete-secrete-keys` without name.May 28 2020, 10:07 PM
PWRzTOtacorTPq7KNW4oFec8F created this task.
PWRzTOtacorTPq7KNW4oFec8F updated the task description. (Show Details)
• werner triaged this task as Normal priority.May 29 2020, 5:12 PM
• werner added a project: gnupg (gpg22).
• werner added a subscriber: • werner.

Although this is a standard behaviour for Unix tools, you are right that it makes sense to tell the user about the problems. And well, the version info should not appear either.

• werner claimed this task.