[bug #68006] 'system' command unable to redirect stderr or stdout to "nul"

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URL:
  <https://savannah.gnu.org/bugs/?68006>

                 Summary: 'system' command unable to redirect stderr or stdout
to "nul"
                   Group: GNU Octave
               Submitter: philipnienhuis
               Submitted: Tue 03 Feb 2026 10:14:24 PM CET
                Category: Octave Function
                Severity: 3 - Normal
                Priority: 5 - Normal
              Item Group: Regression
                  Status: None
             Assigned to: None
         Originator Name: philipnienhuis
        Originator Email:
             Open/Closed: Open
         Discussion Lock: Unlocked
                 Release: 11.0.90
        Operating System: Microsoft Windows
           Fixed Release: None
         Planned Release: 11.1.0 (current stable)


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Follow-up Comments:


-------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue 03 Feb 2026 10:14:24 PM CET By: Philip Nienhuis <philipnienhuis>
While testing a new io package release with dev Octave-12, I see messages
along these lines when using a Java based spreadsheet I/O interface:

java version "24" 2025-03-18
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 24+36-3646)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 24+36-3646, mixed mode, sharing)

The source of one of those is a command like below which is in several
functions in the io package:

 :
  jtst = system ("java -version 2> nul");
 :

(note: with just one hyphen before 'version' java's output goes to stderr,
with two hyphens to stdout.  Redirecting stdout to 'nul' doesn't work either
anymore.)

In a crossbuild I made on Jan. 24, and with released Octave-10.3.0 d/led from
ftp.gnu.org I don't see this; but with a nightly from Feb 3 and an Octave-12
crossbuild I made today (Feb 3) this error shows up.  So I conclude some
recent change broke the ability to redirect stdout and sterr to (at least)
'nul' (= Window's bitbucket).

On Linux I don't see this with dev Octave.







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