mkdir -p issue while bash scripting

Question

I am attempting to create a recursive directory tree with some nested directories along the way.

While testing this manually in bash it functions without issue. However while testing this command in a bash script it is broken...instead of creating the directory tree, it creates two directories '{dir1,dir2/' and then {subdir1,subdir2},dir3,dir4} inside of the first.

Here is the command:

mkdir -p main/{dir1,dir2/{subdir1,subdir2},dir3,dir4}

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

Instead of creating the directory tree is creates two directorys '{dir1,dir2/' and then '{subdir1,subdir2},dir3,dir4}' inside of the first. — unixnerd
– unixnerd, Commented Sep 5, 2015 at 0:56
This executes as expected for me, are you certain you are using the same command in both cases? Does the script contain any other commands that might alter this one? — Dimitris Fasarakis Hilliard
– Dimitris Fasarakis Hilliard, Commented Sep 5, 2015 at 1:09
Same for me. Are you sure you're not running it in sh/dash? — Reinstate Monica Please
– Reinstate Monica Please, Commented Sep 5, 2015 at 1:11
Yes I copy and paste the command out of my bash script. The command works manually but not in the script. And yes I am running bash for sure. — unixnerd
– unixnerd, Commented Sep 5, 2015 at 1:14

rici · Accepted Answer · 2015-09-05 01:22:25Z

3

Your script is being run by /bin/sh, which in your case is not bash but rather some Posix-compatible shell, quite possibly dash.

Brace expansion is a shell extension implemented by quite a few shells, including bash, ksh and zsh, but it is not available in dash.

Make sure that your shebang line specifies bash:

#!/bin/bash

answered Sep 5, 2015 at 1:22

rici

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