Splitting `File` and `directory name with space' via shell script

Question

I've got a file called Files.txt having following content:

TestApp/Resources/Supporting Files/main.m
TestApp/Resources/Supporting Files/AppDelegate.h
TestApp/Resources/Supporting Files/AppDelegate.m

I am pulling file and directory names as following and passing them to another process.

files=$(cat Files.txt)

for item in $files ; do    
  dn=$(dirname $item)

  printf $item
  printf "\n"
  printf $dn
  printf "\n\n"

  # passing to another process
done

However, this is getting me this:

TestApp/Resources/Supporting
TestApp/Resources

Files/main.m
Files

TestApp/Resources/Supporting
TestApp/Resources

Files/AppDelegate.h
Files

TestApp/Resources/Supporting
TestApp/Resources

Files/AppDelegate.m
Files

What I need is this:

TestApp/Resources/Supporting Files/main.m
TestApp/Resources/Supporting Files

TestApp/Resources/Supporting Files/AppDelegate.h
TestApp/Resources/Supporting Files

TestApp/Resources/Supporting Files/AppDelegate.m
TestApp/Resources/Supporting Files

I tried prefixing space with \ in Files.txt as:

TestApp/Resources/Supporting\ Files/main.m

and with %20 as:

TestApp/Resources/Supporting%20Files/main.m

with no luck!

glenn jackman · Accepted Answer · 2014-03-28 20:21:19Z

6

for loops iterate over words not lines
always quote your "$variables" (unless you know exactly when not to)

while read -r item ; do    
  dn=$(dirname "$item")

  printf "%s\n" "$item"
  printf "%s\n" "$dn"

  # pass "$item" and "$dn" to another process
done < Files.txt

edited Mar 28, 2014 at 20:21

answered Mar 28, 2014 at 20:10

glenn jackman

88.5k16 gold badges124 silver badges179 bronze badges

Thanks but it seem to complain at the last line: dofiles.sh: line 9: syntax error near unexpected token done' dofiles.sh: line 9: ` done < Files.txt'`

Yas T.
– Yas T.

2014-03-28 20:20:06 +00:00
Commented Mar 28, 2014 at 20:20
Oops, missed the semicolon before "do"

glenn jackman
– glenn jackman

2014-03-28 20:21:30 +00:00
Commented Mar 28, 2014 at 20:21

Add a comment |

Nick Sabine · Accepted Answer · 2014-03-28 20:22:44Z

You need to set the field separator:

OIFS=$IFS  
IFS=$'\n'

files=$(cat Files.txt)

for item in $files ; do    
  dn=$(dirname $item)
  printf $item
  printf "\n"
  printf $dn
  printf "\n\n"

  # passing to another process
done

IFS=$OIFS

Output:

[me@localhost test]$ ./test.sh 
TestApp/Resources/Supporting Files/main.m
TestApp/Resources/Supporting Files

TestApp/Resources/Supporting Files/AppDelegate.h
TestApp/Resources/Supporting Files

TestApp/Resources/Supporting Files/AppDelegate.m
TestApp/Resources/Supporting Files

Explanation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internal_field_separator

The $IFS variable defines how input is split into tokens, and the default is space, tab, and newline. Since you want to split only on newlines, the $IFS variable needs to be temporarily changed.

+1 - This works too. I picked the first answer, but up voted you - thanks! — Yas T.
– Yas T., Commented Mar 28, 2014 at 20:25

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