Shell Programming and Scripting

Hi all,

I have a little problem with my shell script (reading user input, save user input to variable, invisible characters in the log file )

Code:

 printf "1. What's your file path?"
 /path/to/my/file
 read -e FILE

I have invisible characters in my log file (e.g. <ESC>[?1034h or ^G) when I'm using the tab key for autocomplete path feature.

Any idea how I can solve this? Thanks in advance.

You are talking about a log file, but you haven't said anything about what is writing data into that log file. The <ESC>[?1034h looks like an escape sequence used to set terminal display characteristics for many terminals (see ANSI Escape Code). The ^G could either be a visual representation of the <BEL> character (typed by hitting the <Ctl> and G characters simultaneously) or those two characters separately (depending on context and what you are using to view your log file).

There is nothing in the printf command that you've shown us that will write an escape sequence or a <BEL> character. It isn't clear from your post whether /path/to/my/file is data typed by the user in response to the prompt printed by printf or the path to another program to executed. If it is a program that you're executing, look at that file to see if it contains commands that generate those characters.

Everything from the screen is written to my log file.

The tab key in the user input produces the invisible characters!

When I'm typing the full path (without using tab) everything is alright.

---------- Post updated at 06:44 PM ---------- Previous update was at 06:36 PM ----------

Code:

 {
 printf "1. What's your file path?"
 /path/to/my/file
 read -e FILE
  
 cp logfile.txt "$OUTPUT"
  
 } 2>&1 | tee logfile.txt
  
 rm logfile.txt

---------- Post updated at 06:49 PM ---------- Previous update was at 06:44 PM ----------

/path/to/my/file is data typed by the user in response to the prompt printed by printf

I don't recognize <ESC>[?1034h, but it appears to be a DEC private sequence used for certain terminals. It is probably being used by your shell to reposition the cursor as it performs filename completion. Depending on how your terminal is set, the <BEL> should either cause your terminal to flash, make a noise, or both.