Re: Netscape communicator helper applications and bash

[Sten Anderson <sten@bergsoe.k-net.dk>]

"Jan Weytjens" <jan@sonycom.com> writes:

> The error is in the shell command communicator tries to run with sh:
> 
> ((/usr/bin/acroread /tmp/MOsomething.pdf); rm /tmp/MOsomething.pdf)&
> 
> where MOsomething.pdf is a temporary file in the /tmp directory.
> The problem is the (mis)matching of the parentheses.
> When run in an xterm window, I get the same error message.
> Apparently, the problem is with bash (/bin/sh is a link to /bin/bash) which
> complains about about the following syntax:
> 
> ((echo A); echo B)
> 
> Interestingly, at work we use bash on both SGI and Sun workstations.
> bash on Sun does have the same problem, while bash on SGI doesn't.
> 
> Is there a clean solution?

Upgrade or downgrade Bash. This problem is specific to the 2.00
version in 1.3. 

The error occurs because bash parses the first two parenthesis as part 
of a (( )) construction (which has a special meaning). Wether this is 
an error or a feature is a subject of discussion, but the problem
dissappears in version 2.01

- Sten Anderson


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