Questions tagged [quoting]
Strings are typically delimited by quotes, which raises the problem of dealing with strings that include quotes.
909
questions
1
vote
2answers
28 views
Find not working as expected with space in directory
I have a script calling this
find "/mnt/Data/Shared/$1" -type d -exec bash -c 'fixperm "'${1}'" "fd" "$0"' {} \;
$1 is a directory, when the name contains no spaces it works, when there is a space ...
1
vote
1answer
56 views
find: unknown predicate `-p'
find /log/ -mtime -31 -type f -name ""*data.txt"" -printf ""cp -p %p /Backup/%Td/\n"" | sh
I am trying to set up this command in a cron job and it's complaining about unknown predicate -p. Not really ...
0
votes
1answer
13 views
How do I tell GNU Parallel to not quote the replacement string
GNU Parallel quotes replacement strings by default so that they are not expanded by the shell. But in certain cases you really want the replacement string to be interpreted by the shell.
E.g.
$ cat ...
1
vote
2answers
38 views
How do I use awk's single quotes within another single quote phrase?
Background
I am running a command that dispays processes on multiple hosts. Below is the command:
execAll -m "$HOSTS" 'hostname; ps -ef | grep build | grep -v grep; ipcs | grep 666'
Attempt
I ...
-2
votes
2answers
74 views
How to execute a command that has many nested single and double quotes with a quoted variable in bash
Here is my simple script
#!/bin/sh
thefile=/home/ark/arkserver/ShooterGame/Saved/SaveIsland/1288804998.arktribe
while inotifywait "${thefile}" ; do
a=\"`strings ${thefile} | tail -n 5 | head -n ...
1
vote
1answer
54 views
Escaping special characters &, $, ^, *, ! in unix command (bash perl)
Basically, I'm trying to send some email thru uucp to some especial accounts using the RFC 5322 standard that includes !#$%&'*+-/=?^_`{|}~; (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Email_address#Local-part)
...
1
vote
2answers
72 views
Bash: Escaping double quotes in $() command substitution [duplicate]
I am having trouble wrapping my head around how command substitution works when part of the command's parameters come from a variable.
To illustrate, I'll just present a series of commands:
I'll ...
2
votes
1answer
64 views
How to render variables without quotes in bash script?
The following script:
$ cat runme01.sh
#!/bin/bash
A=myval
B=$A/{fix}
C=$A/fix
set -xT
echo $B
echo $C
prints the following if ran:
$ ./runme01.sh
+ echo 'myval/{fix}'
myval/{fix}
+ echo myval/...
3
votes
1answer
2k views
Is `echo $TEST` expanding an asterisk in the variable a bug? [duplicate]
Is this a Bash bug?
$ mkdir test && cd test && echo "a" > "some.file"
test$ echo '*'
*
test$ TEST=$(echo '*')
test$ echo $TEST
some.file
Why is the second output the resolution of ...
4
votes
2answers
171 views
Use backslash or single-quotes for field separation
I have always been using single-quotes for the field separation like: awk -F';' ...
Quite new to me is the way of using a backslash like: awk -F\; ...
is there a technical difference for either, or ...
0
votes
1answer
25 views
add a line to file that contains quotes and variable using bash
I want to add this line to /etc/grub.d/00_header
set superusers="ubuntu"
where ubuntu is the result of $USER.
I've tried this:
sudo bash -c 'echo "set superusers='"${USER}"'" >> /etc/grub.d/...
1
vote
1answer
43 views
Command runs okay but not from bash script
Under ~/Pictures there are some sub-directories containing jpegs like
~/Pictures/Pics 1/img.jpg.
From bash:
~/Pictures $ `file Pics\ 1/img.jpg`
Output:
Pics 1/img.jpg: JPEG image data, Exif ...
0
votes
2answers
85 views
Run ssh command without quotes
You can execute a command on a remote server using
ssh user@host 'the command'
but is there a way to execute the command without quotes?
(I am on BSD and using OpenSSH)
2
votes
1answer
49 views
Why I have to not quote a string variable in this specific case?
My Ubuntu/Debian-based Linux update POSIX shell script seems to require me not to double quote the string variable with the stored command, which is being executed. As I don't understand this issue, I'...
0
votes
0answers
29 views
Why does single quotes around arguments fail to prevent “syntax error near unexpected token '('”? [duplicate]
I read that surrounding command line arguments with single quotes is necessary when the command line argument is a string that contains parentheses. However using single quotes around the following ...
2
votes
3answers
150 views
Correctly quote array that is being passed indirectly via another command
I need to pass an array of filenames to a command, preserving proper quoting. So far, so good. Unfortunately the command is actually a sub-command that is, in turn, invoked by another command. ...
0
votes
1answer
55 views
Running command in a variable [duplicate]
It is often said that variables should be double quoted when used.
In the following example I want to have the command echo "You can't see me" in a variable and run it in such a way that the output ...
3
votes
1answer
255 views
dash: why am I getting the error “Syntax error: EOF in backquote substitution” when my script doesn't even contain a backquote?
#!/bin/sh --
for set_trap_sig in HUP INT QUIT ALRM TERM; do
trap -- '
trap -- - '"${set_trap_sig:?}"' EXIT || exit "$?"
kill -s '"${set_trap_sig:?}"' -- "$$" || exit "$?"' "$...
2
votes
1answer
145 views
“cp: target '…’ is not a directory” during while loop
I have a directory of files whose names I want to shorten:
(3) andrew@andrew Learning_Plans $ ls -al
total 580
drwxr-xr-x 2 andrew andrew 4096 Apr 10 21:40 .
drwxr-xr-x 7 andrew andrew 4096 Apr 10 ...
0
votes
1answer
28 views
Construction an a command line bash script with spaces in path names [duplicate]
I need a simple script to call gcc but I've got a long list of libraries that I need to pass to it in a directory who's path has a space on it.
In place of gcc for testing my script I've used:
#!/...
0
votes
2answers
52 views
Quoting inside “sh -c” with double quotes
I'm trying to make this quoting work, but no success :
export perl_script='$| = 1;s/\n/\r/g if $_ =~ /^AV:/;s/Saving state/\nSaving state/'
mpv="command mpv"
mpvOptions='--geometry 0%:100%'
args=("$@"...
1
vote
1answer
64 views
Convert JSON with raw characters in string
Had a problem with a tool that was generating illegal JSON.
Some of the JSON strings contained characters in the range 00-1f. So I wanted to convert these characters to correctly escaped valued \...
0
votes
3answers
331 views
How to prevent parameter expansion around a variable I want to be resolved?
Edit:
Important note before reading further: since Kusalananda's anwser, my question is now quite useless, since he pointed out a bug in another script I used. Now this bug is fixed, the below errors ...
3
votes
0answers
56 views
I can see but cannot delete a file [closed]
I am running Linux Mint.I tried to copy a file with the file manager. It looked like it hung.
I can see the file in the directory with ls -l:
-rwxr-xr-x 1 mike domain^users 20 Mar 1 08:57 'output (...
0
votes
0answers
16 views
How do you escape “-” in a command in the Shell (Zsh)? [duplicate]
I am trying to rename a file named "-a" to "a" using the command line (zsh shell). I have tried the following
mv \-a "a"
mv '\-a' "a"
mv "\-a" "a"
but got
mv: illegal option -- a
usage: mv [-f | -...
45
votes
1answer
3k views
What is the difference between “…”, '…', $'…', and $“…” quotes?
Sometimes I see scripts use all of these different ways of quoting some text: "...", '...', $'...', and $"...". Why are there so many different kinds of quote being used?
Do they behave differently ...
1
vote
1answer
40 views
I have a pipe separated file,read file row wise and search for unclosed quotes(") in each row and close that
Below is a row and i need to close "20 with "20"
2019-02-15T10:25:19+0100|ttt|werewrw|erewr|fddsfsdf|dfsdf|07|2ee7|1b65d04|"20|19|-02-|15t10:03|45435435|765767||SIP;rr=200;text="hyt"|
0
votes
3answers
64 views
Which quoting style GNU Bash variable definitions (mostly for paths)? [closed]
Which of the following quoting styles, for GNU Bash variables, is preferred and why?
Two double quotes: VAR="/path/$V1/path with space/$V2".
Multiple double quotes: VAR=/path/"$V1"/"path with space"/"...
23
votes
5answers
2k views
Why use double quotes in a [[ ]] test?
Let's say we have 2 integers in a bash script:
value1=5
value2=3
Then why do we need to use double quotes in case of a test ? For example:
if [[ "$value1" -eq "$value2" ]]
Why not just use the ...
2
votes
3answers
643 views
Why can I not access a file named `-` when quoting? [duplicate]
I have a file called -.
I want to display its contents.
One way is to do
cat ./-
since cat - reads from standard input. However, why are cat "-" and cat '-' also interpreted by the shell as cat -?
7
votes
1answer
532 views
Why does scp's strict filename checking reject quoted last component but not others?
When I try to scp a file with a slash in its path, the path is quoted for the local host, and the last path component is additionally quoted for the remote host, like scp host:"a/b/'c'" ., it fails ...
-1
votes
1answer
49 views
Why did Debian use the typewriter apostrophe (') instead of the closed curve quote (’) [closed]
I have been using Debian for quite a few years. Every now and then, when I write or read something I find it confusing what an author meant by it. I had a look at the wikipedia page, as well as this ...
0
votes
1answer
764 views
Kill remote process via ssh
I have a process that I want to kill remotely. I tried
ssh remotehost "kill -9 $(ps -aux | grep foo | grep bar | awk '{print $2}')"
but this returns the error
kill: usage: kill [-s sigspec | -n ...
3
votes
1answer
75 views
Commands Differences Using Quotations (Find)
I was reading the man page of find and I found myself confused with the following commands. What is the difference between one and its corresponding one.
What is the difference between the following ...
0
votes
2answers
90 views
Is the behavior of escaping special characters inside double-quotes in mainstream POSIX-compliant shells at odds with POSIX?
Per the POSIX Shell Command Language Page:
\
The <backslash> shall retain its special meaning as an escape character (see Escape Character (Backslash)) only when followed by one of the ...
3
votes
3answers
176 views
POSIX Shell: inside of double-quotes, are there cases where `\` fails to escape `$`, ```, `"`, `\` or `<newline>`?
Per the POSIX Shell Command Language Page:
\
The <backslash> shall retain its special meaning as an escape character (see Escape Character (Backslash)) only when followed by one of the ...
1
vote
1answer
53 views
Prevent quote expansion in user-made function [duplicate]
I have the following bash function :
tg() {
git add -A && git commit -m $1 && git push
}
But it seems not to work :
$ tg "create index for users"
error: pathspec 'index' did not ...
0
votes
0answers
13 views
Interaction of sed and for loop [duplicate]
for i in {1..25}; do cat file$((i)) | sed 's/.*/$((i))/'; done
doesn't print the current value of i but just $((i)). How can I make it print the value of i instead?
9
votes
2answers
401 views
How to create alias with a command contains ' and "
A few posts ago someone asked how to show memory in percentage. Someone replied with:
free | awk '/^Mem/ { printf("free: %.2f %\n", $4/$2 * 100.0) }'
I was wondering if I can turn this command into ...
0
votes
1answer
68 views
Can I put a single quote in a user's password
I was wondering if there would be any issue with placing a single quote in a ubuntu user's password. We have a couple machines with a dummy user for automation purposes and I would like the password ...
1
vote
1answer
548 views
Cannot rm or cp files with a wildcard in name [duplicate]
I have a line like this in my script:
rm "$TEMP_DIR/*.txt"
It fails with this output:
rm: cannot remove 'temp/*.txt': No such file or directory
I don't understand why doesn't that work. What am I ...
-4
votes
2answers
80 views
Does process substitution need to be double quoted?
Double quoting command substitution is a good practice. Is it the same for process substitution (<() and >())?
It seems double quotes allow command substitution, but disallow process ...
-2
votes
1answer
71 views
Shell script with password that starts with ( [closed]
I have a shell script that opens ftp, then passes on the user ID and password. The password starts with ( and the server does not like it. It errors outs with a failure to log in message. How can I ...
0
votes
3answers
247 views
Why does double quoting an array expansion in here document not seem to work here?
I have two arrays
$ arr1=( 1 2 2 3)
$ arr2=( 2 3 3 4)
Why does this generate strange output when I follow the good practice of double quoting an array expansion
$ tsort << EOF
> "${arr1[@]}...
-2
votes
1answer
330 views
Quotes don't work anymore with: git commit -m “My commit message” [closed]
I am not sure what is going wrong (terminal, shell, system?), but when I enter:
git commit -m "My commit message"
this morning, I get:
error: pathspec 'My' did not match any file(s) known to git
...
0
votes
1answer
44 views
complicated command replace in files using sed [duplicate]
I want to replace the below strings
replace: print 'Status Code: {code}'.format(code=r.status_code)
with: print('Status Code: {code}'.format(code=r.status_code))
Here is the command I ran which ...
-2
votes
2answers
38 views
Handling whitespace in filepaths
I have this:
muh_dir=`cd $(dirname "$BASH_SOURCE") && pwd`
and yeah I tested the above (it has backticks) and it doesn't work well with whitespace in the pwd.
On the other hand, this is ...
1
vote
3answers
127 views
SSH with Command Doesn't Run as an Alias
I have the following command to remote into a local server and tail -f the latest log file for an application that I have.
The command works perfectly fine from the command line -
ssh user@hostname ...
3
votes
1answer
674 views
What's the different between with a ~ and without a ~ in a string variable in Bash? [duplicate]
I'm using a dotfile manage software, named dotdrop. Using a config file named .env, contents like: git_folder="~/code/Git".
Also use a script to setup this dotfile tool before the first use of it, as ...
2
votes
3answers
1k views
Bash Script to remotely collect hostname, IP and host total memory
I am trying to write a scrip that will collect the hostname, IP and total memory installed on remote hosts from a list I feed into the script. The script will collect information from Redhat and ...
