[systemd-devel] list-units descriptions and trailing whitespace

[Tom Matthews]

Good afternoon,
Is there a good reason why list-units pads the description field out with trailing whitespace ?


$ systemctl list-units | cat -vet | head -6
  UNIT                                                                                                       LOAD   ACTIVE SUB       DESCRIPTION                                                                                                   $
  proc-sys-fs-binfmt_misc.automount                                                                          loaded active running   Arbitrary Executable File Formats File System Automount Point                                                 $
  sys-devices-pci0000:00-0000:00:02.0-backlight-acpi_video0.device                                           loaded active plugged   /sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:02.0/backlight/acpi_video0                                                    $
  sys-devices-pci0000:00-0000:00:14.0-usb1-1\x2d4-1\x2d4:1.0-host8-target8:0:0-8:0:0:0-block-sde-sde1.device loaded active plugged   IUM01-512MFHS bpool                                                                                           $
  sys-devices-pci0000:00-0000:00:14.0-usb1-1\x2d4-1\x2d4:1.0-host8-target8:0:0-8:0:0:0-block-sde-sde2.device loaded active plugged   IUM01-512MFHS 2                                                                                               $
  sys-devices-pci0000:00-0000:00:14.0-usb1-1\x2d4-1\x2d4:1.0-host8-target8:0:0-8:0:0:0-block-sde-sde9.device loaded active plugged   IUM01-512MFHS 9                                                                                               $


Here is what I’d rather be receiving, is there any particular reason for padding the description field with whitespace?

$ systemctl list-units | sed -E 's/\s+$//' | cat -vet | head -6
  UNIT                                                                                                       LOAD   ACTIVE SUB       DESCRIPTION$
  proc-sys-fs-binfmt_misc.automount                                                                          loaded active running   Arbitrary Executable File Formats File System Automount Point$
  sys-devices-pci0000:00-0000:00:02.0-backlight-acpi_video0.device                                           loaded active plugged   /sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:02.0/backlight/acpi_video0$
  sys-devices-pci0000:00-0000:00:14.0-usb1-1\x2d4-1\x2d4:1.0-host8-target8:0:0-8:0:0:0-block-sde-sde1.device loaded active plugged   IUM01-512MFHS bpool$
  sys-devices-pci0000:00-0000:00:14.0-usb1-1\x2d4-1\x2d4:1.0-host8-target8:0:0-8:0:0:0-block-sde-sde2.device loaded active plugged   IUM01-512MFHS 2$
  sys-devices-pci0000:00-0000:00:14.0-usb1-1\x2d4-1\x2d4:1.0-host8-target8:0:0-8:0:0:0-block-sde-sde9.device loaded active plugged   IUM01-512MFHS 9$


Kind regards,
Tom Matthews