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To use some hashing tool (like sha1sum, sha224sum, sha256sum, sha384sum, sha512sum, md5sum, shasum, hashdeep, etc), a user can't include control fingerprint as a command line argument, he must use file based pairs of filenames with digest or check the match of two strings relying on eye. All mentioned tools work in these 2 ways: provide pairs in the file or check the match yourself.

Is there a reason not to have the command-line argument option?

To be clear, I'd like to have something like that:

$ sha256sum some_important_file ac1847a71b62dc61f5a7164ced8ac2480c42f59652305ef49f4fe62f1fb6be7d some_important_file: OK

or

$ sha256sum some_important_file --fingerprint ac1847a71b62dc61f5a7164ced8ac2480c42f59652305ef49f4fe62f1fb6be7d some_important_file: OK

Can't understand the lack of such a way of use. Seems so useful for controlling just one hash. Any reason not to provide it?

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    The question is pretty off topic here, but what's wrong with echo "ac1847a71b62dc61f5a7164ced8ac2480c42f59652305ef49f4fe62f1fb6be7d some_important_file" | sha256sum -c -? Commented yesterday
  • @GeraldSchneider Base for this question relies on clarity and simplicity. There is a need to provide the simplest way for a common user to control the integrity of an app. In such a situation is too much to assume for understanding of piping and reading from stdin. Even writing and providing a script may reduce reliability. The current context is Estonian e-voting: valimised.ee/en/internet-voting/guidelines/… Commented yesterday
  • @GeraldSchneider What would be a more appropriate place? SuperUser? Commented yesterday
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    You could, but IMO it's pointless. The answer to your question can only be you would have to ask the authors of the programs. Nobody else can answer it. Commented yesterday
  • There are many authors for different programs, but all follow the same pattern. Coincident? Or some specific reason? Commented yesterday

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