Re: bash script

[Almut Behrens <almut_behrens@gmx.net>]

On Sat, Sep 17, 2005 at 02:33:03PM -0500, Rodney Richison wrote:
> Am trying to automate some stuff for future installs.
> I'd like to echo multiple lines to the end of a file. Like this
> 
> echo '. /etc/bash_completion' >> ~/.bashrc
> 
> But I'd like to add multiple lines at one time. Like the ones below. I 
> realize I could cat them in from a text file, but I'd like to make this 
> script non-dependant of other text files.
> 
> export LS_OPTIONS='--color=auto'
> eval `dircolors`
> alias ls='ls $LS_OPTIONS -F'
> alias ll='ls $LS_OPTIONS -l'
> alias l='ls $LS_OPTIONS -lA'

If I'm understanding you correctly, you probably want to use the
so-called "here document" feature that virtually any shell provides.
I.e., to append the above lines to 'somefile', you could write

cat >>somefile <<"ENDOFQUOTE"
export LS_OPTIONS='--color=auto'
eval `dircolors`
alias ls='ls $LS_OPTIONS -F'
alias ll='ls $LS_OPTIONS -l'
alias l='ls $LS_OPTIONS -lA'
ENDOFQUOTE

See the section "Here Documents" in the bash manpage for details (such
as parameter expansion within the quoted text, etc.).

Cheers,
Almut