I have a script which contains the following line:
propFile="${0%/*}/anteater.properties"
- What does "${0%/*}" mean?
- This command gives a path to the script - but there is a spaces at path and script can't find this file - how to deal with it?
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2 Answers
The % operator in variable expansion removes the matching suffix pattern given to it. So ${0%/*} takes the variable $0, and removes all matching /* at the end. This is equivalent to the command dirname, which, when given a path, returns the parent directory of that path.
In order to deal with spaces in bash variable, whenever expanding the variable (i.e. whenever you write $var), you should quote it. In short, always use "$var" instead of just $var.
Consider reading shell parameter expansion and variable quoting in the bash manual to learn more about these two subjects.
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strips the suffix matching
/*, i.e. everything after last slash including the slash itself.quote it wherever you use it (
cat "$propFile").
answered Jan 23, 2012 at 19:52
Michael Krelin - hacker
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2 Comments
asf107
Quoting definitely works. If you ever want to refer to a filename with space in it by name directly, however, you can escape your spaces with the \ character.
Michael Krelin - hacker
@asf107, and if you every want to refer to a filename stored in variable — quote it. Just in case.