Accept abbreviated upper bounds in version ranges

Range matching already includes more precise versions of an abbreviated
upper bound, but parsing rejects ranges whose lower bound extends that
upper bound. Allow these ranges so callers can constrain a minimum version
to the same major or minor version without inventing an upper limit.

Fixes #698

Assisted-by: Codex:gpt-6-astra
Signed-off-by: Adrien Cotte <adrien.cotte@asplus.fr>

Author: adrien-cotte

NEWS.rst

@@ -255,6 +255,8 @@ Modules 5.7.0 (not yet released)
   shell meta-characters. Completion candidates were passed to ``compgen -W``
   which evaluates command substitution syntax. (fix `CVE-2026-85013`_ found
   by AISLE in partnership with Red Hat)
+* Accept abbreviated upper bounds in version ranges such as ``@3.20:3`` to
+  select versions starting at ``3.20`` within major version ``3``.
 
 .. _CVE-2026-85013: https://github.com/envmodules/modules/security/advisories/GHSA-8hrw-p88g-qhmg
 

doc/source/design/advanced-module-version-specifiers.rst

@@ -91,6 +91,14 @@ Specification
 
     - for instance *@1:1.10* will matches *1.0* and *1.8* but not *1.12*
 
+  - the upper bound may be less precise than the lower bound
+
+    - an abbreviated upper bound includes all versions that extend it,
+      provided they also satisfy the lower bound
+    - for instance *@1.2:1* matches *1.2* and *1.10* but not *1.1* or *2.0*
+    - a reversed range remains invalid unless the lower bound extends the
+      abbreviated upper bound, so *@2.0:1* is still rejected
+
 - version could be specified as list
 
   - soft@vers,vers,vers

doc/source/module.rst

@@ -3235,6 +3235,9 @@ the activation of the extended default mechanism (see
 to refer to more precise version numbers like ``1.2.3``. Characters ``.`` and
 ``-`` are considered version number separator to determine abbreviated
 versions. Range of versions on its side natively handles abbreviated versions.
+The upper bound may be less precise than the lower bound. An abbreviated
+upper bound includes all versions that extend it, provided they also satisfy
+the lower bound.
 
 In order to be specified in a range of versions or compared to a range of
 versions, the version major element should corresponds to a number. For

doc/source/modulefile.rst

@@ -2137,6 +2137,9 @@ notation like ``@1`` to refer to more precise version numbers like ``1.2.3``.
 Characters ``.`` and ``-`` are considered version number separator to
 determine abbreviated versions. Range of versions on its side natively handles
 abbreviated versions.
+The upper bound may be less precise than the lower bound. An abbreviated
+upper bound includes all versions that extend it, provided they also satisfy
+the lower bound.
 
 In order to be specified in a range of versions or compared to a range of
 versions, the version major element should corresponds to a number. For

tcl/modspec.tcl

@@ -1246,7 +1246,9 @@ proc parseModuleVersionSpecifier {modspec} {
          set cmpspec le
          set versspec $hivers
       # between or equal
-      } elseif {[versioncmp $lovers $hivers] == 1} {
+      # An abbreviated upper bound includes its more precise versions.
+      } elseif {[versioncmp $lovers $hivers] == 1 && ![string match\
+         $hivers[extendedDefaultCharGlobMatch] $lovers]} {
          set invalidversrange 1
       } else {
          set cmpspec be

testsuite/modules.70-maint/272-adv_version_spec-range.exp

@@ -84,6 +84,8 @@ testouterr_cmd sh {load mod@1::} ERR "$err_specvers'1::'"
 testouterr_cmd sh {load mod@1,:,} ERR "$err_specvers'1,:,'"
 testouterr_cmd sh {load mod@,:} ERR "$err_specvers',:'"
 testouterr_cmd sh {load mod@1.3:1.2} ERR "$err_rangevers'1.3:1.2'"
+testouterr_cmd sh {load mod@4.1:3} ERR "$err_rangevers'4.1:3'"
+testouterr_cmd sh {load mod@1.30:1.3} ERR "$err_rangevers'1.30:1.3'"
 testouterr_cmd sh {load mod@,<} ERR "$err_specvers',<'"
 testouterr_cmd sh {load mod@:<} ERR "$err_rangevers':<'"
 testouterr_cmd sh {load mod@1/1:2} ERR "$err_specvers'1/1:2'"
@@ -113,6 +115,7 @@ testouterr_cmd sh {load extdfl @1.2:} $ans {}
 testouterr_cmd sh {load extdfl @:1.3.1} $ans {}
 testouterr_cmd sh {load extdfl @:1.3.7} $ans {}
 testouterr_cmd sh {load extdfl @1.2:1.3} $ans {}
+testouterr_cmd sh {load extdfl @1.2:1} $ans {}
 testouterr_cmd sh {load extdfl @1.2.3:1.3.7} $ans {}
 testouterr_cmd sh {load extdfl @:2.0.1} $ans {}
 testouterr_cmd sh {load extdfl @:2.0} $ans {}
@@ -162,6 +165,7 @@ testouterr_cmd sh {path extdfl/ @1.2:1.3} [list [list text $mp/extdfl/1.3.1]] {}
 
 # test all sub-cmd concerned by context
 testouterr_cmd sh {avail -t extdfl @1.3:1.4} OK "$mp:\nextdfl/1.3.1(default)\nextdfl/1.3.7\nextdfl/1.4.5"
+testouterr_cmd sh {avail -t extdfl @1.3.7:1} OK "$mp:\nextdfl/1.3.7\nextdfl/1.4.5"
 testouterr_cmd_re sh {whatis extdfl@1.3.7:1.4.5} OK "$modlin $mpre $modlin
 \\s+extdfl/1.3.7: extdfl/1.3.7
 \\s+extdfl/1.4.5: extdfl/1.4.5"
@@ -187,6 +191,18 @@ testouterr_cmd sh {spider -t ext?fl @1.3:} OK "$mp:\nextdfl/1.3.1(default)\nextd
 testouterr_cmd sh {avail -t e??.* @:1.4} OK "$mp:\ne.t.fl/1.3.1\ne.t.fl/1.3.7\ne.t.fl/1.4.5"
 
 # additional version tests
+# Abbreviated upper bounds apply independently of extended defaults.
+foreach extdfl {0 1} {
+    setenv_var MODULES_EXTENDED_DEFAULT $extdfl
+    set ans [list [list text $mp/extdfl/1.3.7] [list text $mp/extdfl/1.4.5]]
+    testouterr_cmd sh {paths extdfl@1.3.7:1} $ans {}
+    testouterr_cmd sh {paths -i EXTDFL@1.3.7:1} $ans {}
+    set ans [list [list text $mp/extdfl/1.3.7]]
+    testouterr_cmd sh {paths extdfl@1.3.7:1.3} $ans {}
+    testouterr_cmd sh {paths extdfl@1.3.7:1.3,9:10} $ans {}
+}
+unsetenv_var MODULES_EXTENDED_DEFAULT
+
 testouterr_cmd sh {avail -t extdfl8 @1.33:} OK "$mp:\nextdfl8/1.33"
 testouterr_cmd sh {avail -t extdfl8 @:1.3} OK "$mp:\nextdfl8/1.3.1\nextdfl8/1.3.7"
 testouterr_cmd sh {spider -t extdfl8 @:1.3} OK "$mp:\nextdfl8/1.3.1\nextdfl8/1.3.7"
@@ -297,6 +313,7 @@ set ans [list]
 lappend ans [list set _LMFILES_ $mp/extdfl2/3.1.7]
 lappend ans [list set LOADEDMODULES extdfl2/3.1.7]
 testouterr_cmd sh {load extdfl2@3.0.2:3.1.7} $ans {}
+testouterr_cmd sh {load extdfl2@3.1.7:3.1} $ans {}
 testouterr_cmd sh {load extdfl2@:3.1.7} $ans {}
 testouterr_cmd sh {load extdfl2@:3.1.7} $ans {}
 testouterr_cmd sh "load $mp/extdfl2 @:3.1.7" ERR "$err_file'$mp/extdfl2 @:3.1.7'"