How to call a function within another function in Shell Script?

Question

Say I have this function:

function run_sanity_check(){
   echo -e "This is test level 1\n"
   echo -e "This is test level 2\n"
}

and this other function:

function run_test(){
  ... environment setup routine runs here
  echo -e "Running tests...\n"

  run_sanity_check --> this would be my call for the function above
}

When I call "run_test" I get this error: function: not found

Any help is appreciated.

I think you want either the parens or the function keyword but not both. Your problem is not with the invocation it's with the definition. See tldp.org/LDP/abs/html/functions.html — Brian Cain
– Brian Cain, Commented Feb 25, 2016 at 3:50

merlin2011 · Accepted Answer · 2016-02-25 04:02:16Z

4

As Brian's comment mentions, you need to use either function or () but not both.

Both of the following are valid, based on the documentation.

function run_sanity_check{
   echo -e "This is test level 1\n"
   echo -e "This is test level 2\n"
}


run_sanity_check(){
   echo -e "This is test level 1\n"
   echo -e "This is test level 2\n"
}

The following script prints expected output.

run_sanity_check(){
   echo -e "This is test level 1\n"
   echo -e "This is test level 2\n"
}

run_test(){
  echo -e "Running tests...\n"

  run_sanity_check 
}

run_test

edited Feb 25, 2016 at 4:02

answered Feb 25, 2016 at 3:53

merlin2011

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5 Comments

leofelipe Over a year ago

I removed the "function" keyword and now it completely ignores the inner function call.

merlin2011 Over a year ago

@leofelipe, Did you remove it from both?

leofelipe Over a year ago

@ merlin2011, Yes, I did.

merlin2011 Over a year ago

@leofelipe, I just posted a fully working script. It may be that something else is breaking with your script that you're not showing.

leofelipe Over a year ago

Yup, I tested here too and your script works just fine. Let me look further into the script and try to figure out what is going on. Thank you.

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