Programming Forums > Script Programming > Bash / Shell Scripting

MegaArcon · Jun 28th, 2006, 1:48 PM

Hi all!

I've got a little bash script that basically takes my directory path to the "My Documents" folder. Instead of the space, I've inserted a special sequence that I want replaced with "\ " so that I can cd into that directory. However, I get an interesting result.

Here's the Script:

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#!/bin/bash
MYDIR=/users/cs/study/gordon/MyxyXYWhitespacEYXyxDocuments
MYDIR=${MYDIR//xyXYWhitespacEYXyx/\\\ }
echo $MYDIR
cd $MYDIR
ls

Here's the output when I run my file:

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/users/cs/study/gordon/My\ Documents
./test: line 5: cd: /users/cs/study/gordon/My\: No such file or directory

So the echo shows that the "\ " was put into the variable, but when I try and cd into it, it cuts off at the "My\". Does the string substitution put in something unique instead of just a whitespace? Am I using this correctly?

Thanks in advance for any insight.

Infinite Recursion · Jun 28th, 2006, 2:00 PM

Try this:

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#!/bin/bash
MYDIR="./My Dir"
echo $MYDIR
cd "$MYDIR"
ls

Was there a particular reason that you were avoiding the use of the space in the directory name? If not, this will work out for you.

MegaArcon · Jun 28th, 2006, 2:15 PM

Ah ha! The quotes MegaArcon! The quotes! Why thank you Infinite Recursion. Looking at your code helped to spark what I was missing. Instead of subbing in "\ " I can just sub in " " and surround my variable with double quotes for the cd.

New code:

(Toggle Plain Text)

#!/bin/bash
MYDIR=/users/cs/study/gordon/MyxyXYWhitespacEYXyxDocuments
MYDIR=${MYDIR//xyXYWhitespacEYXyx/ }
echo $MYDIR
cd "$MYDIR"
ls

New output:

(Toggle Plain Text)

/users/cs/study/gordon/My Documents
Desktop    My Pictures        foo.doc

Ah, good ol' bash. Thanks again.

Infinite Recursion · Jun 28th, 2006, 2:47 PM

You're welcome

Jun 28th, 2006, 1:48 PM	#1
MegaArcon Programmer Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 66 Rep Power: 0	String Substiution. Whitespace? Hi all! I've got a little bash script that basically takes my directory path to the "My Documents" folder. Instead of the space, I've inserted a special sequence that I want replaced with "\ " so that I can cd into that directory. However, I get an interesting result. Here's the Script: (Toggle Plain Text) #!/bin/bash MYDIR=/users/cs/study/gordon/MyxyXYWhitespacEYXyxDocuments MYDIR=${MYDIR//xyXYWhitespacEYXyx/\\\ } echo $MYDIR cd $MYDIR ls #!/bin/bash MYDIR=/users/cs/study/gordon/MyxyXYWhitespacEYXyxDocuments MYDIR=${MYDIR//xyXYWhitespacEYXyx/\\\ } echo $MYDIR cd $MYDIR ls Here's the output when I run my file: (Toggle Plain Text) /users/cs/study/gordon/My\ Documents ./test: line 5: cd: /users/cs/study/gordon/My\: No such file or directory /users/cs/study/gordon/My\ Documents ./test: line 5: cd: /users/cs/study/gordon/My\: No such file or directory So the echo shows that the "\ " was put into the variable, but when I try and cd into it, it cuts off at the "My\". Does the string substitution put in something unique instead of just a whitespace? Am I using this correctly? Thanks in advance for any insight. __________________ Isn't that just the way life goes? If it's worth doing, it's NP-Hard. Todd Wareham - Memorial University of Newfoundland

Jun 28th, 2006, 2:00 PM	#2
Infinite Recursion Programming Guru Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: United States Posts: 3,467 Rep Power: 8	Try this: (Toggle Plain Text) #!/bin/bash MYDIR="./My Dir" echo $MYDIR cd "$MYDIR" ls #!/bin/bash MYDIR="./My Dir" echo $MYDIR cd "$MYDIR" ls Was there a particular reason that you were avoiding the use of the space in the directory name? If not, this will work out for you. __________________ http://jasonpowers.net "There are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root."

Jun 28th, 2006, 2:15 PM	#3
MegaArcon Programmer Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 66 Rep Power: 0	Ah ha! The quotes MegaArcon! The quotes! Why thank you Infinite Recursion. Looking at your code helped to spark what I was missing. Instead of subbing in "\ " I can just sub in " " and surround my variable with double quotes for the cd. New code: (Toggle Plain Text) #!/bin/bash MYDIR=/users/cs/study/gordon/MyxyXYWhitespacEYXyxDocuments MYDIR=${MYDIR//xyXYWhitespacEYXyx/ } echo $MYDIR cd "$MYDIR" ls #!/bin/bash MYDIR=/users/cs/study/gordon/MyxyXYWhitespacEYXyxDocuments MYDIR=${MYDIR//xyXYWhitespacEYXyx/ } echo $MYDIR cd "$MYDIR" ls New output: (Toggle Plain Text) /users/cs/study/gordon/My Documents Desktop My Pictures foo.doc /users/cs/study/gordon/My Documents Desktop My Pictures foo.doc Ah, good ol' bash. Thanks again. __________________ Isn't that just the way life goes? If it's worth doing, it's NP-Hard. Todd Wareham - Memorial University of Newfoundland

Jun 28th, 2006, 2:47 PM	#4
Infinite Recursion Programming Guru Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: United States Posts: 3,467 Rep Power: 8	You're welcome __________________ http://jasonpowers.net "There are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root."

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Programming Forums > Script Programming > Bash / Shell Scripting

String Substiution. Whitespace?