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Having problems copying a file from a script

 
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# 1  
Old 12-29-2008
Having problems copying a file from a script
Hello. Complete newbie over here, and I'm hoping you can help me out with this problem.
The script copies a file to a directory within my home dir.
Permissions are ok and the source file exists. If I execute the cp command from the command line or hardcode the path/file name, it works.


(lines ommited for readability)
Code:
 
fileName=$1
 
source="/p/cpt/validation/HS/cpt/models/"$fileName"/rtl/cpt/dangling/list.report"
destination="~/averdugo/CPT_FILES/"$fileName".txt"
cp $source $destination

I think the problem is with the fileName variable because when I execute the program with sh -x option, I see:

Code:
 
+ source=/p/cpt/validation/HS/cpt/models/v081023/rtl/cpt/dangling/list.report
+ destination=~/averdugo/CPT_FILES/v081023.txt
 
+ echo /p/cpt/validation/HS/cpt/models/v081023/rtl/cpt/dangling/list.report
/p/cpt/validation/HS/cpt/models/v081023/rtl/cpt/dangling/list.report
 
+ echo '~/averdugo/CPT_FILES/v081023.txt' 
~/averdugo/CPT_FILES/v081023.txt
 
+ cp /p/cpt/validation/HS/cpt/models/v081023/rtl/cpt/dangling/list.report '~/averdugo/CPT_FILES/v081023.txt'
 
cp: cannot create regular file `~/averdugo/CPT_FILES/v081023.txt': No such file or directory

As you can see from the statements above, there are single quotes around the destination variable '~/averdugo/CPT_FILES/v081023.txt' I have no idea where they came from. Smilie

All your help is much appreciated.

Angel
# 2  
Old 12-30-2008
Hi,

Try this...
fileName=$1

source="/p/cpt/validation/HS/cpt/models/${fileName}/rtl/cpt/dangling/list.report"
destination="~/averdugo/CPT_FILES/${fileName}.txt"
cp $source $destination


You don't need the inside quotes, and you should use
${fileName}
whenever you embed a variable within double quotes and is up against other text.
Sometimes it works, but it is safer to do this method.
# 3  
Old 12-30-2008
~ is not valid in a traditional boure shell such as that found on Solaris.
# 4  
Old 12-30-2008
Quote:
Originally Posted by reborg
~ is not valid in a traditional boure shell such as that found on Solaris.
Thank you. Do you know of a workaround? Right now I have it working by substituting ~ for /usr/users/14afs, but hopefully there's something cleaner.

d'oh I guess I could use $HOME, right?
Last edited by verdugan; 12-30-2008 at 03:47 PM.. Reason: Remembered $HOME
# 5  
Old 12-30-2008
Quote:
Originally Posted by FlyingSquirrel
Hi,

You don't need the inside quotes, and you should use
${fileName}
whenever you embed a variable within double quotes and is up against other text.
Sometimes it works, but it is safer to do this method.
Thank you for that tip. So much to learn Smilie
# 6  
Old 12-30-2008
The ~ (current home directory) should not be inside any form of quotes.

From the command line, compare these two commands:
echo "~"
echo ~

If there are no spaces in $fileName we don't need any quotes, but we do need the curly brackets.
destination=~/averdugo/CPT_FILES/${fileName}.txt

If there are spaces in $fileName:
destination=~/averdugo/CPT_FILES/"${fileName}.txt"
# 7  
Old 12-30-2008
Quote:
Originally Posted by methyl
The ~ (current home directory) should not be inside any form of quotes.

From the command line, compare these two commands:
echo "~"
echo ~

If there are no spaces in $fileName we don't need any quotes, but we do need the curly brackets.
destination=~/averdugo/CPT_FILES/${fileName}.txt

If there are spaces in $fileName:
destination=~/averdugo/CPT_FILES/"${fileName}.txt"
Sweet. Thanks for that. Since $fileName will never have spaces, it's bye to quotes.

Angel
 
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