bash - how to < redirect input, then > redirect output to file

Question

So I'm trying this command on Bash:

sqlite3 my_db <<!
    .header on
    .mode csv
    select * from table;
!

It works, but I want to redirect that output to output.csv.

sqlite3 my_db <<!
    .header on
    .mode csv
    select * from table;
! > output.csv

...but bash seems to think I'm not done with the command:

...
$ >
$ >
$ > ^C
$

What does Bash want from me? Why can't I get it to redirect the output to my .csv file?

Thanks

Francois · Accepted Answer · 2015-10-04 20:27:39Z

4

You can do it like this :

sqlite3 my_db <<!  > output.csv
    .header on
    .mode csv
    select * from table;
!

Your last line should contain only the ending characters.

answered Oct 4, 2015 at 20:27

Francois

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4 Comments

James M. Lay Over a year ago

How does bash know not to include > output.csv as part of the input being redirected?

James M. Lay Over a year ago

Sorry if that's a really broad question

Francois Over a year ago

If you wanted > output.csv to be part of the input redirected, you would need to escape it like below : sqlite3 my_db <<! \> output.csv (bash would use > as redirection except if escaped)

James M. Lay Over a year ago

I like this answer because it preserves the order of input redirection, then output redirection (at least syntactically, even if that's not what Bash does internally)

Ignacio Vazquez-Abrams · Accepted Answer · 2015-10-04 20:28:12Z

3

Bash doesn't grossly care what order redirections are specified in if each uses a different FD.

sqlite3 my_db > output.csv <<!
 ...
!

answered Oct 4, 2015 at 20:28

Ignacio Vazquez-Abrams

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2 Comments

James M. Lay Over a year ago

That's so confusing. It looks like the input is redirected to the output.csv file itself!

chepner Over a year ago

You just need to get used to how the redirection operators work. You can't redirect one file to another in any case; they always apply to the current command. You could even write > output.cv <<! sqlite3 my_db if you wanted to.

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