Subject: scp/sftp using IPv6 address, any ambiguity?

From: Yong Ni <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 16 Jan 2003 16:38:25 -0800

Hi,

For scp and sftp (used in the command line mode), we provide the src/dst 
path in the form of
    [[user@]host[#port]:]file_or_dir

In case of IPv6 address, the host itself could contain multiple ":". 
 How do we solve the ambiguity here?  The problem is worsen when the 
filename containing ":" is allowed in some file system.  For example:
        guest@FFF1::FFFF2:FFF3:FFF4
Can you tell which part is what?  I was under the impression people uses 
"[]"  to group ipv6 address.  However, is there a document somewhere 
about this?

thanks,
Yong

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From: Darren J Moffat <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 16 Jan 2003 16:43:07 -0800 (PST)

> "[]"  to group ipv6 address.  However, is there a document somewhere

What you are describing is a user interface issue for a particular
implementation of the protocol.  The protocol is written in such a way that
it is obvious when "data" is a file, a file separator and a host address.

I believe you should take this issue up with the group that designed the
user interface for the program you are using.

-- 
Darren J Moffat

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From: Bill Sommerfeld <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 16 Jan 2003 19:48:44 -0500

As Darren said this is a local issue for ssh;

It's an on-the-wire issue for other protocols (http/html), and has
been "fixed" as described in RFC2732.  It would certainly be
appropriate for an ssh implementation to follow suit.

						- Bill