Shell Programming and Scripting

Hello everybody!
Here is my problem: I try to write a script that searches for files with several extensions using the find utility. The file extensions are defined in a list so I build a string (variable) of the pattern arguments with these extensions but can't get find working. Here is a code sample that is not working as it should:

Code:

#!/bin/bash
FILTER_PATTERN="-name \"*.o\""
echo $FILTER_PATTERN # -name "*.o"
#trying to execute find with this filter pattern
find -P ./ `echo -n $FILTER_PATTERN` -type -f

There is something fishy here in this last line since it doesn't show anything. Seems to be that the FILTER_PATTERN is not correctly understood by the interpreter. When I execute the command directly, it works fine.
Any idea for a solution?

PS tried the find -P ./ $FILTER_PATTERN -type f also but the same result.

Code:

#!/bin/bash

FILTER_PATTERN='-name "*.o"'

eval "find -P ./ $FILTER_PATTERN -type f"

exit 0

Seems find has problems to substitute while executing so eval(uating) before execution does work for example.

First, you've (probably) got a typo there, as it should be '-type f', instead of '-type -f'

Second, take a look at the trace of your script (with set -x):

Code:

+ FILTER_PATTERN='-name "*.o"'
+ echo -name '"*.o"'
-name "*.o"
++ echo -n -name '"*.o"'
+ find -P ./ -name '"*.o"' -type -f

You're telling find to look for files that start and end with double quotes. Drop them inside the first variable assignment, and everything should be fine.