I am trying to send a fax from the unix box through our mail server. I am able to send pages, files, etc. but for the fax the mail server requires a space that I can't get unix to accept. The syntax is:

mail "[fax: bh@9999494178]"

Unix will take the command without the space, but the mail server has to have the space. Does anyone know how I can get unix to accept the space?

Does anyone know how to get unix to ignore a space. I know how to ignore a special character, how to ignore a line, but this I'm lost on. I've searched the web, talked to everyone I know personally who has anything to do with Unix and so far nothing.

Most shells take anything inside single quotes without changing or substituting the value.

i.e.,
If this is not what mail sees, then mail is changing the value.
Not unix shell.

If thinks that [fax: is argv[1] and bh@9999494178] argv[2] then
you need to read up on what version of mail you have installed - or try mailx or sendmail.

# mail '[fax: bh@9999494178]'
[fax:bh@9999494178] contains invalid character '['


#mail "[fax: bh@9999494178]"
[fax:bh@9999494178] contains invalid character '['


Seems you may have problems other than with a SPACE with this idea........ since I'm not sure how you are aliasing the fax service (the TO ADDR), I can't help further, sorry.

From man.....



mail [-BFintv~] [-s subject] [-a attachment ] [-c cc-addr] [-b bcc-addr] [-r from-addr] [-h hops] to-addr ...

My system doesn't have a problem with the brackets. Just with the space. Thanks for your help - guess I'll keep working on this one in my spare time and do a work around for now. I've looked through very manual I can find and bothered everyone I know who knows anything about Unix. If I figure it out I'll post the solution. Thanks again.