executing mailx command in shell script

Question

I have a simple shell script that executes a .sql script. When the .sql script has completed, the shell script sends an email to a specified address notifying whether or not the .sql script ran successfully.

My problem is that the subject line is being truncated. I am using a simple IF statement to determine the subject line:

grep 'ORA-' $OUTFILE > /dev/null 2>&1
if [ $? = 1 ]; then
    ERRORS=n
    SUBJECT= "$VERSION script successful"
else
    ERRORS=y
    SUBJECT="$VERSION script had error(s)"
fi

This works fine. However, when I execute the mailx command, the subject line is truncated to "Development" or "Production" depending on the version of the script that has been executed:

mailx -s $SUBJECT $EMAIL < $MAILFILE

I know the subject line needs to be in double quotes if it includes embedded spaces, but this does not seem to work correctly when assigned to a variable.

Is there a way around this? Is there a way to escape the double quotes

Gilles 'SO- stop being evil' · Accepted Answer · 2012-05-05 17:52:41Z

7

You need to quote $SUBJECT as you use it, i.e.

mailx -s "$SUBJECT" $EMAIL < $MAILFILE

Also there should be no space in

SUBJECT="$VERSION script successful"

edited May 5, 2012 at 17:52

Gilles 'SO- stop being evil'

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answered May 25, 2011 at 18:04

shellter

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2 Comments

elpisu Over a year ago

It seems to work (mostly) when I do this: "${SUBJECT}". However, since the $SUBJECT is being assigned a string as a variable ($VERSION), the string is now "$VERSION script successful" or "$VERSION script had error(s)". Any idea how to get the variable $VERSION to resolve as a string?

shellter Over a year ago

1. I note that you have a space in one of your assignments, like SUBJECT= "....". 2. The behaviour you describe sounds like you reall have single quotes on your assignment, i.e. SUBJECT='...'`. Going to bed now. Will check in the morning. Good luck.

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