How to expand environment variable in bash function definition?

Question

I am trying to so something like this in my bashrc

SERVER=abc.com
geta() { scp ${SERVER}:$1 . ;}

SERVER=xyz.com
getx() { scp ${SERVER}:$1 . ;}

declare -f geta getx
geta () 
{ 
    scp ${SERVER}:$1 .
}
getx () 
{ 
    scp ${SERVER}:$1 .
}

What I want geta and getx to be set to is

geta () { scp abc.com:$1 . }
getx () { scp xyz.com:$1 . }

Is there a way to force variable expansion in function definitions?

Note: For clarification I changed the example

ping $SERVER isn't working for you?

Matt Ball
– Matt Ball

2012-10-31 03:56:31 +00:00
Commented Oct 31, 2012 at 3:56 — Matt Ball
– Matt Ball, Commented Oct 31, 2012 at 3:56

doubleDown · Accepted Answer · 2012-10-31 05:53:19Z

5

You can use eval (escape the $ so that $1 doesn't get expanded)

SERVER=abc.com
eval "geta() { scp ${SERVER}:\$1 . ;}"
SERVER=xyz.com
eval "getx() { scp ${SERVER}:\$1 . ;}"

The output of declare -f geta getx

geta () 
{ 
    scp abc.com:$1 .
}
getx () 
{  
    scp xyz.com:$1 .
}

answered Oct 31, 2012 at 5:53

doubleDown

8,4581 gold badge36 silver badges50 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

1 Comment

Sumit Over a year ago

bash: syntax error near unexpected token `('. eval "function geta() { scp ${SERVER}:\$1 . ;}" works, though.

glenn jackman · Accepted Answer · 2012-10-31 13:33:41Z

1

This is a good time to use aliases:

get_file() { echo scp "$1":"$2" .; }

SERVER=abc.com
alias geta="get_file $SERVER"

SERVER=xyz.com
alias getx="get_file $SERVER"

geta foo
getx bar

outputs

scp abc.com:foo .
scp xyz.com:bar .

answered Oct 31, 2012 at 13:33

glenn jackman

249k42 gold badges233 silver badges362 bronze badges

1 Comment

Sumit Over a year ago

Almost what I need. I also have put_file() { scp $1 $SERVER:$2}. Can't figure out how to use your answer to accomplish that.

Gilles Quénot · Accepted Answer · 2012-10-31 03:57:16Z

-1

pserver(){ 
    ping "$1"
}

then :

pserver abc.com

That should do the trick =)

answered Oct 31, 2012 at 3:57

Gilles Quénot

188k43 gold badges232 silver badges229 bronze badges

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

How to expand environment variable in bash function definition?

3 Answers 3

1 Comment

1 Comment

Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

3 Answers 3

1 Comment

1 Comment

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related