Iterate array using loop over ssh


 
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# 1  
Old 07-12-2013
Iterate array using loop over ssh

A simple script:

Code:
#!/bin/bash
test=test
test1=(test1 test2 test3)
echo ${test1[*]}
ssh server 'echo '$test'; echo '${test1[*]}' ; echo '${test1[1]}' ; for m in $(seq 1 $(echo '${test1[*]}' | tr " " "\n" | wc -l)); do echo $m ; echo '${test1[$m]}'; done'

Here is the result:

Code:
test1 test2 test3
testing
test
test1 test2 test3
test2
1
test1
2
test1 ***this should be "test2"
3
test1 ***this should be "test3"

Why is it not being iterated as expected?

I read somewhere that ssh doesn't know about the variables, etc etc. Then why can I see that "echo ${test1[*]}" iterates correctly?

BUMMER Smilie I really need this Smilie

Can you guys help me out?

**EDIT: Forgot the CODE tags, sorry Smilie
# 2  
Old 07-12-2013
I think, this is expected.

When your commands go to server, all the variables are replaced by its values.
The 'echo '${test1[$m]}' at the end of your command is evaluated by your local system (the first element of the array since it cannot make out what $m is) and would be replaced by 'test1' by the time it reaches the server . So it prints the same for all the iterations.
This User Gave Thanks to rajamadhavan For This Post:
# 3  
Old 07-12-2013
Quote:
Originally Posted by rajamadhavan
I think, this is expected.

When your commands go to server, all the variables are replaced by its values.
The 'echo '${test1[$m]}' at the end of your command is evaluated by your local system (the first element of the array since it cannot make out what $m is) and would be replaced by 'test1' by the time it reaches the server . So it prints the same for all the iterations.

Yes, makes sense (now that you mention it Smilie)

But that's the nice thing about BASH, there's no "No way out" problem:

Code:
#!/bin/bash
TEST=test
TEST1=(test1 test2 test3)
ssh server 'TEST2=('${TEST1[*]}') ; for m in $(seq 0 $(eval echo \${TEST2[*]} | tr " " "\n" | wc -l)); eval echo \${TEST2[$m]}; done'

Declaring a Variable, that is iterated before the loop, so that the array gets populated as expected and then iterated together with the loop variable $m.

Thank you for the hint. A nice day to you all Smilie
This User Gave Thanks to mharald For This Post:
# 4  
Old 07-12-2013
Another way around the variable problem, a particularly robust one, is this:

Code:
ssh username@host /bin/sh -s arg1 arg2 arg3 <<"EOF"
literal script contents
that don't even need
extra quotes
or escaping
EOF

Also, "${ARRAY[@]}" is a safer way to expand an array, because it splits upon elements, not spaces. It works for commandline arguments too. Also, your loop can be simplified quite a lot. How about this:

Code:
ssh username@host /bin/sh -s "${TEST1[@]}" <<"EOF"
echo "$@"
echo "${1}"

N=0
for m in "$@" # Expands into $1 $2 $3 ...
do
        echo $m
        echo $N
        let N=N+1
done
EOF


Last edited by Corona688; 07-12-2013 at 01:10 PM..
# 5  
Old 07-13-2013
Quote:
Originally Posted by Corona688
Another way around the variable problem, a particularly robust one, is this:

Code:
ssh username@host /bin/sh -s arg1 arg2 arg3 <<"EOF"
literal script contents
that don't even need
extra quotes
or escaping
EOF

Never thought of using it for ssh. I wonder if it iterates all variables as expected. I will give it a try!
Quote:
Also, "${ARRAY[@]}" is a safer way to expand an array, because it splits upon elements, not spaces. It works for commandline arguments too. Also, your loop can be simplified quite a lot. How about this:
Thanks. Your improvement advice actually reflects my running script (more or less Smilie)

I kinda messed up in trying to keep the example script simple Smilie

A nice Weekend to all.
# 6  
Old 07-15-2013
Quote:
Originally Posted by mharald
Never thought of using it for ssh. I wonder if it iterates all variables as expected.
Depends what you expect. You get nothing but the $1 $2 $3 ... arguments you put into it.
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