Command Substitution in Shell scripting

The classic form of command substitution uses backquotes (`...`). Commands within backquotes (backticks) generate command line text.

script_name=`basename $0`

echo "The name of this script is $script_name."

The output of commands can be used as arguments to another command, to set a variable, and even for generating the argument list in a for loop.

rm `cat filename` # "filename" contains a list of files to delete.

#

# S. C. points out that "arg list too long" error might result.

# Better is xargs rm -- < filename

# ( -- covers those cases where "filename" begins with a "-" )

textfile_listing=`ls *.txt`

# Variable contains names of all *.txt files in current working directory.

echo $textfile_listing

textfile_listing2=$(ls *.txt) # The alternative form of command substitution.

echo $textfile_listing2

# Same result.

# A possible problem with putting a list of files into a single string

# is that a newline may creep in.

#

# A safer way to assign a list of files to a parameter is with an array.

# shopt -s nullglob # If no match, filename expands to nothing.

# textfile_listing=( *.txt )

#

# Thanks, S.C.

Note

Command substitution invokes a subshell.

Caution

Command substitution may result in word splitting.

COMMAND `echo a b` # 2 args: a and b

COMMAND "`echo a b`" # 1 arg: "a b"

COMMAND `echo` # no arg

COMMAND "`echo`" # one empty arg

# Thanks, S.C.

Even when there is no word splitting, command substitution can remove trailing newlines.

# cd "`pwd`" # This should always work.

# However...

mkdir 'dir with trailing newline

'

cd 'dir with trailing newline

'

cd "`pwd`" # Error message:

# bash: cd: /tmp/file with trailing newline: No such file or directory

cd "$PWD" # Works fine.

old_tty_setting=$(stty -g) # Save old terminal setting.

echo "Hit a key "

stty -icanon -echo # Disable "canonical" mode for terminal.

# Also, disable *local* echo.

key=$(dd bs=1 count=1 2> /dev/null) # Using 'dd' to get a keypress.

stty "$old_tty_setting" # Restore old setting.

echo "You hit ${#key} key." # ${#variable} = number of characters in $variable

#

# Hit any key except RETURN, and the output is "You hit 1 key."

# Hit RETURN, and it's "You hit 0 key."

# The newline gets eaten in the command substitution.

Thanks, S.C.

Caution

Using echo to output an unquoted variable set with command substitution removes trailing newlines characters from the output of the reassigned command(s). This can cause unpleasant surprises.

dir_listing=`ls -l`

echo $dir_listing # unquoted

# Expecting a nicely ordered directory listing.

# However, what you get is:

# total 3 -rw-rw-r-- 1 bozo bozo 30 May 13 17:15 1.txt -rw-rw-r-- 1 bozo

# bozo 51 May 15 20:57 t2.sh -rwxr-xr-x 1 bozo bozo 217 Mar 5 21:13 wi.sh

# The newlines disappeared.

echo "$dir_listing" # quoted

# -rw-rw-r-- 1 bozo 30 May 13 17:15 1.txt

# -rw-rw-r-- 1 bozo 51 May 15 20:57 t2.sh

# -rwxr-xr-x 1 bozo 217 Mar 5 21:13 wi.sh

Command substitution even permits setting a variable to the contents of a file, using either redirection or the cat command.

variable1=`<file1` # Set "variable1" to contents of "file1".

variable2=`cat file2` # Set "variable2" to contents of "file2".

# This, however, forks a new process,

#+ so the line of code executes slower than the above version.

# Note:

# The variables may contain embedded whitespace,

#+ or even (horrors), control characters.

# Excerpts from system file, /etc/rc.d/rc.sysinit

#+ (on a Red Hat Linux installation)

if [ -f /fsckoptions ]; then

fsckoptions=`cat /fsckoptions`

...

fi

#

#

if [ -e "/proc/ide/${disk[$device]}/media" ] ; then

hdmedia=`cat /proc/ide/${disk[$device]}/media`

...

fi

#

#

if [ ! -n "`uname -r | grep -- "-"`" ]; then

ktag="`cat /proc/version`"

...

fi

#

#

if [ $usb = "1" ]; then

sleep 5

mouseoutput=`cat /proc/bus/usb/devices 2>/dev/null|grep -E "^I.*Cls=03.*Prot=02"`

kbdoutput=`cat /proc/bus/usb/devices 2>/dev/null|grep -E "^I.*Cls=03.*Prot=01"`

...

fi

Caution

Do not set a variable to the contents of a long text file unless you have a very good reason for doing so. Do not set a variable to the contents of a binary file, even as a joke.