Programming Forums - Spaces in path names

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- - Spaces in path names (http://www.programmingforums.org/showthread.php?t=15474)

estergon

Mar 24th, 2008 5:58 PM

Spaces in path names

Hello Everyone,
I am new here and just started shell scripting.
I thought I would start with creating a shell script as a solution to one of my problems.
I need some help with variables and path names (especially spaces in pathnames) here.
I am trying to use my firefox bookmarks on linux with that on windows synchronously but I am getting errors with the path variable for the windows profile folder since it has spaces in its pathname.
For Example:

$ cd /mnt/hda1/Documents\ and\ Settings/

will work, where

$ HDA1="/mnt/hda1/Documents\ and\ Settings/"

$ cd $HDA1

will give such error:

bash: cd: /mnt/hda1/Documents\: No such file or directory

With/out quotes, backslashes, all same.. I understand that shell does not like spaces. What should I write instead since I cannot change the pathname? Any suggestions please?

Thank in advance

Jessehk

Mar 24th, 2008 6:42 PM

Re: Spaces in path names

HDA1="/mnt/hda1/Documents and Settings"

Since everything is "encased" in the quotation marks, spaces shouldn't be a problem.

:)

estergon

Mar 24th, 2008 6:47 PM

Re: Spaces in path names

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jessehk (Post 142909)

HDA1="/mnt/hda1/Documents and Settings"

Since everything is "encased" in the quotation marks, spaces shouldn't be a problem.

:)

Thank a lot for the quick reply :)
I already tried that but I am getting same thing.. :(

$ HDA1="/mnt/hda1/Documents and Settings"

$ cd $HDA1

bash: cd: /mnt/hda1/Documents: No such file or directory

Any other suggestins? :?:

Sane	Mar 24th, 2008 7:09 PM

Re: Spaces in path names

I'll take a whack at guessing:

HDA1="\"/mnt/hda1/Documents and Settings\""

Or:

HDA1="/mnt/hda1/Documents\\ and\\ Settings"

estergon

Mar 24th, 2008 7:13 PM

Re: Spaces in path names

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sane (Post 142912)

I'll take a whack at guessing:

HDA1="\"/mnt/hda1/Documents and Settings\""

Or:

HDA1="/mnt/hda1/Documents\\ and\\ Settings"

Sorry to say no :S

$ HDA1="\"/mnt/hda1/Documents and Settings\""

$ echo $HDA1

"/mnt/hda1/Documents and Settings"

$ cd $HDA1

bash: cd: "/mnt/hda1/Documents: No such file or directory

$ HDA1="/mnt/hda1/Documents\\ and\\ Settings"

$ echo $HDA1

/mnt/hda1/Documents\ and\ Settings

$ cd $HDA1

bash: cd: /mnt/hda1/Documents\: No such file or directory

Keep it coming please.. I am sure we will work this out by the sun rise.. ;)

Jabo	Mar 24th, 2008 7:53 PM

Re: Spaces in path names

It may have something to do with whether or not you're using single or double quotes if you have variables in your script somewhere that have a name in your directory path. If so, you will have to either use single quotes or use an escape character to ignore the variable. More Info

$ HDA1="\"/mnt/hda1/Documents and Settings\""

$ echo $HDA1

"/mnt/hda1/Documents and Settings"

$ cd $HDA1

bash: cd: "/mnt/hda1/Documents: No such file or directory

It may be since you are using HDA1 as a variable, and hda1 is in your path, that you may have to escape the hda1 to get it to work; or use single quotes.

Seif	Mar 24th, 2008 8:00 PM

Re: Spaces in path names

a shot in the dark but change jessehks:

$ HDA1="/mnt/hda1/Documents and Settings"

$ cd $HDA1

to:

$ HDA1="/mnt/hda1/Documents and Settings"

$ cd "$HDA1"

?

has been a while since i've written a shell script

estergon

Mar 24th, 2008 8:18 PM

Re: Spaces in path names

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jabo (Post 142914)

$ HDA1="\"/mnt/hda1/Documents and Settings\""

$ echo $HDA1

"/mnt/hda1/Documents and Settings"

$ cd $HDA1

bash: cd: "/mnt/hda1/Documents: No such file or directory

It may be since you are using HDA1 as a variable, and hda1 is in your path, that you may have to escape the hda1 to get it to work; or use single quotes.

I tried all possible combinations with double quotes, single quote, slashs, backslash in defining the variable all same: linefeeds after space. :(
I read that
-1 (digit one, not lower L) parameter may prevent new line feed for ls command but I could not implement it to cp or mv commands :S
Thanks for the link by the way .

estergon

Mar 24th, 2008 8:22 PM

Re: Spaces in path names

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seif (Post 142916)

a shot in the dark but change jessehks:

$ HDA1="/mnt/hda1/Documents and Settings"

$ cd $HDA1

to:

$ HDA1="/mnt/hda1/Documents and Settings"

$ cd "$HDA1"

?

Has been a while since i've written a shell script

Oh that's it :D It worked! Thanks a lot. So the key was to use double quotes while calling the variable as well as while defining the variable, eh?! :lol:

Thanks you all for your interest :)
I will be right back :lol:

estergon

Mar 24th, 2008 8:48 PM

Re: Spaces in path names

I just wanted to share my final script which works just fine.
Since the installed add-ons are not compatible for both linux and windows at a time, using same profile folder with -ProfileManager was a bit of useless thus I really needed this thing:

#!/bin/sh

DATE=`date +%F-%H%M%S`

HDA1="/mnt/hda1/Documents and Settings/username/Application Data/Mozilla/Firefox/Profiles/profile0.default"

HDA6=/home/user/.mozilla/firefox/profile1.default

mv -v $HDA6/bookmarks.html $HDA6/bookmarkbackups/bookmarks-$DATE.html

cp -v "$HDA1"/bookmarks.html "$HDA1"/bookmarkbackups/bookmarks$DATE.html

mv -v "$HDA1"/bookmarks.html $HDA6/bookmarks.html

firefox

cp -v $HDA6/bookmarks.html "$HDA1"/bookmarks.html

I hope it is useful for somebody else out there too :)

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