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I'm working on a bash script to help migrate KVM virtual machines, but I'll be using dummy code to explain what is going on.

I'm using functions to break up the tasks perform on a remote servers and to get the info needed from the user while displaying the info the user needs to answer the questions. Down below will be 3 scripts just to show the 3 ways I have worked from to figure out what is going on.

The first doesn't involve any ssh and works like it should

#!/bin/bash

getname()
{
echo -n "Name:  "
read name
}

gethobby()
{
echo -n "hobby:  "
read hobby
}

showresults()
{
echo "$name"
echo "$hobby"
}

getname
gethobby
showresults

This second script is the way I'm trying to get it to work. I will be running a function on a remote server by ssh, but the values of the variables aren't accessible from other functions like I need them to be

#!/bin/bash
server1='10.1.1.153'

getname()
{
echo -n "Name:  "
read name
}

gethobby()
{
uptime
echo -n "hobby:  "
read hobby
}

showresults()
{
echo "$name"
echo "$hobby"
}

getname
echo -n "server: "
read sname
ssh -t sysadmin@"${!sname}" "$(typeset -f); gethobby"
showresults

This third script works, but isn't something that would be used in production I think. Due to having to run a bunch of ssh with commands there are disconnect lines all over the place which makes the output confusing. Though with this method I can access the values I need from the variables.

#!/bin/bash
server1='10.1.1.153'

getname()
{
    echo -n "Name:  "
    read name
}

gethobby()
{
    ssh -t sysadmin@"${!sname}" "$(typeset -f); uptime"
    echo -n "hobby:  "
    read hobby
}

showresults()
{
    echo "$name"
    echo "$hobby"
}

getname
echo -n "server: "
read sname
gethobby
showresults

So is there any way to get script 2 to work?

Update: Yes I know test is a bad name and using it over is bad, but this is not the actual code since the actual code is a lot bigger and more complicated.

You might be right about the function part, but I have had many programs that have worked with ssh user@ip function work. I believe it works since it expands and just run all the stuff inside the function without having to do ssh individual commands.

The second script works except for getting the value back from the function. It is empty when echoing it instead of having the value the user input.

3
  • Using a function that has the same name (test) as a shell builtin is a bad idea...
    – jasonwryan
    Sep 17, 2015 at 19:10
  • 1
    I'm not sure I understand what you are asking, but I will mention that ssh allows you to run commands on a remote hosts, but not functions.
    – dhag
    Sep 17, 2015 at 19:11
  • Update: Yes I know test is a bad name and using it over is bad, but this is not the actual code since the actual code is a lot bigger and more complicated. You might be right about the function part, but I have had many programs that have worked with ssh user@ip function work. I believe it works since it expands and just run all the stuff inside the function without having to do ssh individual commands. The second script works except for getting the value back from the function. It is empty when echoing it instead of having the value the user input.
    – J. Does
    Sep 17, 2015 at 20:09

1 Answer 1

5

You'd have to define the function on the remote machine:

remote_hobby=$( ssh -t sysadmin@"${!name}" bash -c 'test2() { read -p "Hobby: " hobby; }; test2; echo "$hobby"' )

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