Re: bash variables

[Mike McClain <mike.junk@cox.net>]

On Sun, Feb 27, 2011 at 12:45:27PM -0600, Boyd Stephen Smith Jr. wrote:
> In <[🔎] 20110225222127.GA1996@playground>, Mike McClain wrote:
> >This only bites me once in a while but when it does it can be very
> >frustrating so any hints / tips are welcome.
> 
> FOO="stuff 'with' qu\"otes"
> echo $FOO
> echo stuff 'with' qu\"otes
> 
> Yes, quote removal happens after parameter expansion, but it only removes 
> quotes that existed before expansion.  So, your find and grep are choking on 
> quotes.

Yes, I'm afraid you're right, they do choke on quotes, 
too many it appears.

root@/deb40a:~> set -x
root@/deb40a:~> VAR='boo "*"'; echo $VAR
+ VAR=boo "*"
+ echo boo '"*"'
boo "*"

root@/deb40a:~> VAR="boo '*'"; echo $VAR
+ VAR=boo '*'
+ echo boo ''\''*'\'''
boo '*'

root@/deb40a:~> FIND='-name "*"'; echo $FIND; find /root/bin/ $FIND
+ FIND=-name "*"
+ echo -name '"*"'
-name "*"
+ find -name '"*"'
/root/bin/"foo"

root@/deb40a:~> find /root/bin/ -name "*"
+ find /root/bin/ -name '*'
and a list of 28 files follows including /root/bin/"foo"

Any idea why bash would put extra quotes around a quoted term
in a variable upon expansion? 
Or under what circumstances it might be useful?

Thanks,
Mike

-- 
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