Bad substitution when running from cron












0















I have a function (notify_dba) that with two string args, a header and a body. (correction) Works well from shell prompt, but not in cron Err, doesn't work in either shell or cron (but should...?):



 53 notify_dba "${FRIENDLY_SERVER_NAME}: New ORA errors in AlertLog" echo ${
54 "Please check full log in ${ALERT_LOG_LOCATION}.
55 =====================================================
56 `grep -A900000 "${LAST_LINE_FROM_ARCHIVE}:" ${TEMPORARY_LOG_WITH_ORA_ERRORS} | grep -v "${LAST_LINE_FROM_ARCHIVE}:"`
57 =====================================================
58 "}


Getting the error:



Wed Jan 16 06:00:01 PST 2019
LAST_LINE_FROM_ARCHIVE=449843
LAST_LINE_FROM_TEMP= 452866
/u01/app/oracle/admin/chk_alertlog.sh: line 53: ${
"Please check full log in ${ALERT_LOG_LOCATION}.
=====================================================
`grep -A900000 "${LAST_LINE_FROM_ARCHIVE}:" ${TEMPORARY_LOG_WITH_ORA_ERRORS} | grep -v "${LAST_LINE_FROM_ARCHIVE}:"`
=====================================================
"}: bad substitution









share|improve this question




















  • 1





    Ok, I was wondering how could it possibly work in a shell... But you just made your edit. The unquoted ${ triggers parameter substitution, which gives you the bad substitution error. Why the curly braces surrounding your block? They seem just wrong there.

    – fra-san
    Jan 16 at 19:43













  • lol, the shell hit a condition and this was the first time this block of code hit... I'll try without the curly braces - the thought was that being a multi-line string argument that I might have to encapsulate with squirrelies ..

    – Dennis Jorgenson
    Jan 16 at 20:05











  • Seems to have done the trick. Thanks a bunch!

    – Dennis Jorgenson
    Jan 16 at 20:48











  • Glad to hear that. Even if I'm late, I'm posting an answer with some examples on handling multi-line and non-fixed text in scripts.

    – fra-san
    Jan 16 at 21:32











  • Pleased to see you're already sorted. In general, please don't post code with line numbers. It adds work in cutting and pasting the example code.

    – roaima
    Jan 18 at 8:39
















0















I have a function (notify_dba) that with two string args, a header and a body. (correction) Works well from shell prompt, but not in cron Err, doesn't work in either shell or cron (but should...?):



 53 notify_dba "${FRIENDLY_SERVER_NAME}: New ORA errors in AlertLog" echo ${
54 "Please check full log in ${ALERT_LOG_LOCATION}.
55 =====================================================
56 `grep -A900000 "${LAST_LINE_FROM_ARCHIVE}:" ${TEMPORARY_LOG_WITH_ORA_ERRORS} | grep -v "${LAST_LINE_FROM_ARCHIVE}:"`
57 =====================================================
58 "}


Getting the error:



Wed Jan 16 06:00:01 PST 2019
LAST_LINE_FROM_ARCHIVE=449843
LAST_LINE_FROM_TEMP= 452866
/u01/app/oracle/admin/chk_alertlog.sh: line 53: ${
"Please check full log in ${ALERT_LOG_LOCATION}.
=====================================================
`grep -A900000 "${LAST_LINE_FROM_ARCHIVE}:" ${TEMPORARY_LOG_WITH_ORA_ERRORS} | grep -v "${LAST_LINE_FROM_ARCHIVE}:"`
=====================================================
"}: bad substitution









share|improve this question




















  • 1





    Ok, I was wondering how could it possibly work in a shell... But you just made your edit. The unquoted ${ triggers parameter substitution, which gives you the bad substitution error. Why the curly braces surrounding your block? They seem just wrong there.

    – fra-san
    Jan 16 at 19:43













  • lol, the shell hit a condition and this was the first time this block of code hit... I'll try without the curly braces - the thought was that being a multi-line string argument that I might have to encapsulate with squirrelies ..

    – Dennis Jorgenson
    Jan 16 at 20:05











  • Seems to have done the trick. Thanks a bunch!

    – Dennis Jorgenson
    Jan 16 at 20:48











  • Glad to hear that. Even if I'm late, I'm posting an answer with some examples on handling multi-line and non-fixed text in scripts.

    – fra-san
    Jan 16 at 21:32











  • Pleased to see you're already sorted. In general, please don't post code with line numbers. It adds work in cutting and pasting the example code.

    – roaima
    Jan 18 at 8:39














0












0








0








I have a function (notify_dba) that with two string args, a header and a body. (correction) Works well from shell prompt, but not in cron Err, doesn't work in either shell or cron (but should...?):



 53 notify_dba "${FRIENDLY_SERVER_NAME}: New ORA errors in AlertLog" echo ${
54 "Please check full log in ${ALERT_LOG_LOCATION}.
55 =====================================================
56 `grep -A900000 "${LAST_LINE_FROM_ARCHIVE}:" ${TEMPORARY_LOG_WITH_ORA_ERRORS} | grep -v "${LAST_LINE_FROM_ARCHIVE}:"`
57 =====================================================
58 "}


Getting the error:



Wed Jan 16 06:00:01 PST 2019
LAST_LINE_FROM_ARCHIVE=449843
LAST_LINE_FROM_TEMP= 452866
/u01/app/oracle/admin/chk_alertlog.sh: line 53: ${
"Please check full log in ${ALERT_LOG_LOCATION}.
=====================================================
`grep -A900000 "${LAST_LINE_FROM_ARCHIVE}:" ${TEMPORARY_LOG_WITH_ORA_ERRORS} | grep -v "${LAST_LINE_FROM_ARCHIVE}:"`
=====================================================
"}: bad substitution









share|improve this question
















I have a function (notify_dba) that with two string args, a header and a body. (correction) Works well from shell prompt, but not in cron Err, doesn't work in either shell or cron (but should...?):



 53 notify_dba "${FRIENDLY_SERVER_NAME}: New ORA errors in AlertLog" echo ${
54 "Please check full log in ${ALERT_LOG_LOCATION}.
55 =====================================================
56 `grep -A900000 "${LAST_LINE_FROM_ARCHIVE}:" ${TEMPORARY_LOG_WITH_ORA_ERRORS} | grep -v "${LAST_LINE_FROM_ARCHIVE}:"`
57 =====================================================
58 "}


Getting the error:



Wed Jan 16 06:00:01 PST 2019
LAST_LINE_FROM_ARCHIVE=449843
LAST_LINE_FROM_TEMP= 452866
/u01/app/oracle/admin/chk_alertlog.sh: line 53: ${
"Please check full log in ${ALERT_LOG_LOCATION}.
=====================================================
`grep -A900000 "${LAST_LINE_FROM_ARCHIVE}:" ${TEMPORARY_LOG_WITH_ORA_ERRORS} | grep -v "${LAST_LINE_FROM_ARCHIVE}:"`
=====================================================
"}: bad substitution






bash variable-substitution






share|improve this question















share|improve this question













share|improve this question




share|improve this question








edited Jan 16 at 19:40







Dennis Jorgenson

















asked Jan 16 at 19:07









Dennis JorgensonDennis Jorgenson

11




11








  • 1





    Ok, I was wondering how could it possibly work in a shell... But you just made your edit. The unquoted ${ triggers parameter substitution, which gives you the bad substitution error. Why the curly braces surrounding your block? They seem just wrong there.

    – fra-san
    Jan 16 at 19:43













  • lol, the shell hit a condition and this was the first time this block of code hit... I'll try without the curly braces - the thought was that being a multi-line string argument that I might have to encapsulate with squirrelies ..

    – Dennis Jorgenson
    Jan 16 at 20:05











  • Seems to have done the trick. Thanks a bunch!

    – Dennis Jorgenson
    Jan 16 at 20:48











  • Glad to hear that. Even if I'm late, I'm posting an answer with some examples on handling multi-line and non-fixed text in scripts.

    – fra-san
    Jan 16 at 21:32











  • Pleased to see you're already sorted. In general, please don't post code with line numbers. It adds work in cutting and pasting the example code.

    – roaima
    Jan 18 at 8:39














  • 1





    Ok, I was wondering how could it possibly work in a shell... But you just made your edit. The unquoted ${ triggers parameter substitution, which gives you the bad substitution error. Why the curly braces surrounding your block? They seem just wrong there.

    – fra-san
    Jan 16 at 19:43













  • lol, the shell hit a condition and this was the first time this block of code hit... I'll try without the curly braces - the thought was that being a multi-line string argument that I might have to encapsulate with squirrelies ..

    – Dennis Jorgenson
    Jan 16 at 20:05











  • Seems to have done the trick. Thanks a bunch!

    – Dennis Jorgenson
    Jan 16 at 20:48











  • Glad to hear that. Even if I'm late, I'm posting an answer with some examples on handling multi-line and non-fixed text in scripts.

    – fra-san
    Jan 16 at 21:32











  • Pleased to see you're already sorted. In general, please don't post code with line numbers. It adds work in cutting and pasting the example code.

    – roaima
    Jan 18 at 8:39








1




1





Ok, I was wondering how could it possibly work in a shell... But you just made your edit. The unquoted ${ triggers parameter substitution, which gives you the bad substitution error. Why the curly braces surrounding your block? They seem just wrong there.

– fra-san
Jan 16 at 19:43







Ok, I was wondering how could it possibly work in a shell... But you just made your edit. The unquoted ${ triggers parameter substitution, which gives you the bad substitution error. Why the curly braces surrounding your block? They seem just wrong there.

– fra-san
Jan 16 at 19:43















lol, the shell hit a condition and this was the first time this block of code hit... I'll try without the curly braces - the thought was that being a multi-line string argument that I might have to encapsulate with squirrelies ..

– Dennis Jorgenson
Jan 16 at 20:05





lol, the shell hit a condition and this was the first time this block of code hit... I'll try without the curly braces - the thought was that being a multi-line string argument that I might have to encapsulate with squirrelies ..

– Dennis Jorgenson
Jan 16 at 20:05













Seems to have done the trick. Thanks a bunch!

– Dennis Jorgenson
Jan 16 at 20:48





Seems to have done the trick. Thanks a bunch!

– Dennis Jorgenson
Jan 16 at 20:48













Glad to hear that. Even if I'm late, I'm posting an answer with some examples on handling multi-line and non-fixed text in scripts.

– fra-san
Jan 16 at 21:32





Glad to hear that. Even if I'm late, I'm posting an answer with some examples on handling multi-line and non-fixed text in scripts.

– fra-san
Jan 16 at 21:32













Pleased to see you're already sorted. In general, please don't post code with line numbers. It adds work in cutting and pasting the example code.

– roaima
Jan 18 at 8:39





Pleased to see you're already sorted. In general, please don't post code with line numbers. It adds work in cutting and pasting the example code.

– roaima
Jan 18 at 8:39










1 Answer
1






active

oldest

votes


















1
















As pointed out in a comment to your question, the error you see is due to the unquoted ${, which triggers parameter expansion (see "Parameter Expansion" in section "EXPANSION" of man bash).



That said, you can of course pass around a multi-line text block. You have just to quote it properly:



If it is static, single quotes are ok:



$ mlblock='line 1
> line 2'
$ printf '%sn' "$mlblock"
line 1
line 2


If you want it to be built at execution time, you have to use double quotes, which preserve the special meaning of $, ` and , allowing, among other things, parameter expansion and command substitution:



$ text="Sample    text"
$ mlblock="$text
> date: $(date)
> end"
$ printf '%sn' "$mlblock"
Sample text
date: Wed Jan 16 22:18:33 CET 2019
end


Note that expansions appearing anywhere in a string enclosed in double quotes are themselves quoted. Thus, their spacing is preserved (e.g. Sample text).



The most readable way to pass a complex string to a function is probably to use a variable:



$ function notify_dba () {
printf '%sn' "$1" # Print header
printf '%sn' "$2" # Print body
}
$ notify_dba 'Header' "$mlblock"
Header
Sample text
date: Wed Jan 16 22:21:14 CET 2019
end


Note that the second argument has to appear in double quotes because: 1) if unquoted, it would be expanded by the shell and, when resulting in more than one word, be translated into more than one arguments to the function; 2) if surrounded by single quotes, it would be interpreted literally as the string $mlblock.



Alternatively you can, of course, build the argument string as you call your function:



$ notify_dba 'Header' "Multi
> line body
> date: $(date)
> end"
Header
Multi
line body
date: Wed Jan 16 22:29:13 CET 2019
end





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    1 Answer
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    1 Answer
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    1
















    As pointed out in a comment to your question, the error you see is due to the unquoted ${, which triggers parameter expansion (see "Parameter Expansion" in section "EXPANSION" of man bash).



    That said, you can of course pass around a multi-line text block. You have just to quote it properly:



    If it is static, single quotes are ok:



    $ mlblock='line 1
    > line 2'
    $ printf '%sn' "$mlblock"
    line 1
    line 2


    If you want it to be built at execution time, you have to use double quotes, which preserve the special meaning of $, ` and , allowing, among other things, parameter expansion and command substitution:



    $ text="Sample    text"
    $ mlblock="$text
    > date: $(date)
    > end"
    $ printf '%sn' "$mlblock"
    Sample text
    date: Wed Jan 16 22:18:33 CET 2019
    end


    Note that expansions appearing anywhere in a string enclosed in double quotes are themselves quoted. Thus, their spacing is preserved (e.g. Sample text).



    The most readable way to pass a complex string to a function is probably to use a variable:



    $ function notify_dba () {
    printf '%sn' "$1" # Print header
    printf '%sn' "$2" # Print body
    }
    $ notify_dba 'Header' "$mlblock"
    Header
    Sample text
    date: Wed Jan 16 22:21:14 CET 2019
    end


    Note that the second argument has to appear in double quotes because: 1) if unquoted, it would be expanded by the shell and, when resulting in more than one word, be translated into more than one arguments to the function; 2) if surrounded by single quotes, it would be interpreted literally as the string $mlblock.



    Alternatively you can, of course, build the argument string as you call your function:



    $ notify_dba 'Header' "Multi
    > line body
    > date: $(date)
    > end"
    Header
    Multi
    line body
    date: Wed Jan 16 22:29:13 CET 2019
    end





    share|improve this answer






























      1
















      As pointed out in a comment to your question, the error you see is due to the unquoted ${, which triggers parameter expansion (see "Parameter Expansion" in section "EXPANSION" of man bash).



      That said, you can of course pass around a multi-line text block. You have just to quote it properly:



      If it is static, single quotes are ok:



      $ mlblock='line 1
      > line 2'
      $ printf '%sn' "$mlblock"
      line 1
      line 2


      If you want it to be built at execution time, you have to use double quotes, which preserve the special meaning of $, ` and , allowing, among other things, parameter expansion and command substitution:



      $ text="Sample    text"
      $ mlblock="$text
      > date: $(date)
      > end"
      $ printf '%sn' "$mlblock"
      Sample text
      date: Wed Jan 16 22:18:33 CET 2019
      end


      Note that expansions appearing anywhere in a string enclosed in double quotes are themselves quoted. Thus, their spacing is preserved (e.g. Sample text).



      The most readable way to pass a complex string to a function is probably to use a variable:



      $ function notify_dba () {
      printf '%sn' "$1" # Print header
      printf '%sn' "$2" # Print body
      }
      $ notify_dba 'Header' "$mlblock"
      Header
      Sample text
      date: Wed Jan 16 22:21:14 CET 2019
      end


      Note that the second argument has to appear in double quotes because: 1) if unquoted, it would be expanded by the shell and, when resulting in more than one word, be translated into more than one arguments to the function; 2) if surrounded by single quotes, it would be interpreted literally as the string $mlblock.



      Alternatively you can, of course, build the argument string as you call your function:



      $ notify_dba 'Header' "Multi
      > line body
      > date: $(date)
      > end"
      Header
      Multi
      line body
      date: Wed Jan 16 22:29:13 CET 2019
      end





      share|improve this answer




























        1












        1








        1









        As pointed out in a comment to your question, the error you see is due to the unquoted ${, which triggers parameter expansion (see "Parameter Expansion" in section "EXPANSION" of man bash).



        That said, you can of course pass around a multi-line text block. You have just to quote it properly:



        If it is static, single quotes are ok:



        $ mlblock='line 1
        > line 2'
        $ printf '%sn' "$mlblock"
        line 1
        line 2


        If you want it to be built at execution time, you have to use double quotes, which preserve the special meaning of $, ` and , allowing, among other things, parameter expansion and command substitution:



        $ text="Sample    text"
        $ mlblock="$text
        > date: $(date)
        > end"
        $ printf '%sn' "$mlblock"
        Sample text
        date: Wed Jan 16 22:18:33 CET 2019
        end


        Note that expansions appearing anywhere in a string enclosed in double quotes are themselves quoted. Thus, their spacing is preserved (e.g. Sample text).



        The most readable way to pass a complex string to a function is probably to use a variable:



        $ function notify_dba () {
        printf '%sn' "$1" # Print header
        printf '%sn' "$2" # Print body
        }
        $ notify_dba 'Header' "$mlblock"
        Header
        Sample text
        date: Wed Jan 16 22:21:14 CET 2019
        end


        Note that the second argument has to appear in double quotes because: 1) if unquoted, it would be expanded by the shell and, when resulting in more than one word, be translated into more than one arguments to the function; 2) if surrounded by single quotes, it would be interpreted literally as the string $mlblock.



        Alternatively you can, of course, build the argument string as you call your function:



        $ notify_dba 'Header' "Multi
        > line body
        > date: $(date)
        > end"
        Header
        Multi
        line body
        date: Wed Jan 16 22:29:13 CET 2019
        end





        share|improve this answer

















        As pointed out in a comment to your question, the error you see is due to the unquoted ${, which triggers parameter expansion (see "Parameter Expansion" in section "EXPANSION" of man bash).



        That said, you can of course pass around a multi-line text block. You have just to quote it properly:



        If it is static, single quotes are ok:



        $ mlblock='line 1
        > line 2'
        $ printf '%sn' "$mlblock"
        line 1
        line 2


        If you want it to be built at execution time, you have to use double quotes, which preserve the special meaning of $, ` and , allowing, among other things, parameter expansion and command substitution:



        $ text="Sample    text"
        $ mlblock="$text
        > date: $(date)
        > end"
        $ printf '%sn' "$mlblock"
        Sample text
        date: Wed Jan 16 22:18:33 CET 2019
        end


        Note that expansions appearing anywhere in a string enclosed in double quotes are themselves quoted. Thus, their spacing is preserved (e.g. Sample text).



        The most readable way to pass a complex string to a function is probably to use a variable:



        $ function notify_dba () {
        printf '%sn' "$1" # Print header
        printf '%sn' "$2" # Print body
        }
        $ notify_dba 'Header' "$mlblock"
        Header
        Sample text
        date: Wed Jan 16 22:21:14 CET 2019
        end


        Note that the second argument has to appear in double quotes because: 1) if unquoted, it would be expanded by the shell and, when resulting in more than one word, be translated into more than one arguments to the function; 2) if surrounded by single quotes, it would be interpreted literally as the string $mlblock.



        Alternatively you can, of course, build the argument string as you call your function:



        $ notify_dba 'Header' "Multi
        > line body
        > date: $(date)
        > end"
        Header
        Multi
        line body
        date: Wed Jan 16 22:29:13 CET 2019
        end






        share|improve this answer














        share|improve this answer



        share|improve this answer








        edited Jan 18 at 8:30

























        answered Jan 16 at 21:30









        fra-sanfra-san

        1,3971215




        1,3971215






























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