Assign directory listing to variable in bash script over ssh

Question

I'm trying to ssh into a remote machine, obtain a directory listing, assign it to a variable, and then I want to be able to use that variable in the rest of the script on the local machine.

After some research and setting up all the right keys and such, I can run commands via ssh just fine. Specifically, if I do:

ssh -t user@server "ls /dir1/dir2/; exit; bash"

I do get a directory listing. If I instead do:

ssh -t user@server "set var1=`ls /dir1/dir2/`; exit; bash"

instead gives an ls error that the directory was not found. Also of note is that this happens before I am asked for the ssh key passphrase, which makes me think that it's executing locally somehow.

Any idea on how I can create a local variable with a directory listing list of the remote host in a bash script?

Do you want that variable set on your local machine or on the remote server? — sth
– sth, Commented Oct 5, 2011 at 22:26

sehe · Accepted Answer · 2011-10-05 22:23:10Z

4

Simply

var1=( $(ssh user@server ls /dir1/dir2) )

then test it:

for line in "${var1[@]}"; do echo "$line"; done

That said, I'd prefer

ssh user@server find /dir1/dir2 -maxdepth 1 -print0 | 
    xargs -0

This will

deal a lot better with special filenames
be more flexible (man find(1))
adding -type f to limit to files only

answered Oct 5, 2011 at 22:23

sehe

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2 Comments

sehe Over a year ago

@l0b0: congrats with your 2^11 reputation !

Bruno Ferreira Over a year ago

In order to show only subdirs, i had to add a -mindepth 1 to that find :)

crazyjul · Accepted Answer · 2011-10-05 22:28:50Z

0

Your command in quote is executed before executing the ssh command. Escaping the single quote should fix

answered Oct 5, 2011 at 22:28

crazyjul

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1 Comment

CHP Over a year ago

Just to be clear, that's one of these `, not one of these '. I did try escaping it with a \ (if that's even how you do it, I'm pretty new to this) but that didn't fix it, though I can't remember the error. The reason I put it there is because someone once told me I need it to make stuff into lists to loop through :) .

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