Shell Programming and Scripting

Sorry, I should have said! Because it's in single quotes. It needs to be in double quotes if the shell is to expand it.

So... like this:printf "cp /path/to/app.app/folder/$x.plist" >> /var/mobile/z_folder/"$x".sh
this:printf "cp /path/to/app.app/folder/"$x".plist" >> /var/mobile/z_folder/"$x".sh
or this?:
printf "cp /path/to/app.app/folder/""$x"".plist" >> /var/mobile/z_folder/"$x".sh
??
I think the first two didn't work for me... do they for you ?

The first one is fine:

Code:

printf "cp /path/to/app.app/folder/$x.plist\n" >> /var/mobile/z_folder/"$x".sh

is fine. Not forgetting the newline.

Actually, I did not read the command properly!

Code:

printf "cp /path/to/app.app/folder/'$x'.plist >> /var/mobile/z_folder/'$x'.sh\n"

But all this does is print it to the screen, without copying any files, or storing the copy commands. Is that what you wanted?

Seems like 'echo "...$...." >>...$....sh' would suffice. However, if you want to run them, then run them, not write them. Seems like a case of tweeser-itis, playing withyour food! http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/The_Goo..._the_Ugly#Tuco

The first two ways don't work, because the first $x is expanded. The third also does not work, and is quite confusing. To make it clear and easy to understand, the two best ways to write this are:

Code:

printf 'cp /path/to/app.app/folder/$x.plist\n' >> "/var/mobile/z_folder/$x.sh"
echo   'cp /path/to/app.app/folder/$x.plist'   >> "/var/mobile/z_folder/$x.sh"

Agree with dgpickett. If you ever find yourself

1) generating code
2) using eval for basic, simple things
3) building shell scripts with shell scripts

...chances are you've missed or skipped the obvious way.

Creating 10,000 nearly-identical scripts with slightly different variables? Why not have it take a parameter, then call the same one 10,000 times? In fact, if it's a script with one line, why call a script at all?

Generating code and storing it for later? Why not generate it later and avoid the storing, or just store a list of files instead of an entire script?

In fact, why not just copy then and there, now or later, without generating code? The shell's fully capable of doing all these things.