Calling shell script via bash using a path as an argument

Question

I am trying to execute a shell script via bash while also trying to pass arguments for said script.

Up to now I've never had a problem with this and commands like /opt/scripts/start_import.sh user pass "Some name with spaces" always executed fine. The three arguments were passed just fine and could be used within the start_import script.

Today I wrote a new script, let's call it set_properties.sh. I am executing as usual with the command /opt/scripts/set_properties.sh /opt/subfolder/subfolder user pass stringwithoutspaces stringwithoutspaces2.

However, this time around I am getting bombed with error messages:

/opt/scripts/set_properties.sh: line 7: /opt/subfolder/subfolder=: No such file or directory
/opt/scripts/set_properties.sh: line 13: user=: command not found
/opt/scripts/set_properties.sh: line 19: pass=: command not found
/opt/scripts/set_properties.sh: line 56: syntax error: unexpected end of file

I suspect that passing a path (/opt/subfolder/subolder) as an argument is causing this error. However, I haven't found a solution to this yet...

I guess the shell is trying to evaluate the path instead of just passing it along as an argument. I tried enclosing the path with double quotes, which should stop any evaluation of the enclosed string, but no luck.

What am I doing wrong? Is there any solution for passing paths as arguments when calling a script? Thanks in advance!

Edit: Content of set_properties.sh:

set +v

error_txt=""
ret_code="0"

#check input parameters
if $1=""
then 
       error_txt="Invalid parameter for 'XXXX'."
       ret_code="1"
fi

if $2=""
then 
       error_txt="Invalid parameter for 'XXXX'."
       ret_code="1"
fi

if $3=""
then 
       error_txt="Invalid parameter for 'XXXX'."
       ret_code="1"
fi

if $4=""
then 
       error_txt="Invalid parameter for 'XXXX'."
       ret_code="1"

if $5=""
then 
       error_txt="Invalid parameter for 'XXXX'."
       ret_code="1"
fi

# create new .properties based on input parameters
echo "################################################################################" > $1/subfolder1/subfolder2/my_property_file.properties
echo "#xxxxyyyyzzzz" >> $1/subfolder1/subfolder2/my_property_file.properties
echo "#created automatically by xxxx processing on `date`" >> $1/subfolder1/subfolder2/my_property_file.properties
echo "#xxxxyyyyzzzz" >> $1/subfolder1/subfolder2/my_property_file.properties
echo "propertyName=^$4" >> $1/subfolder1/subfolder2/my_property_file.properties
echo "#xxxxyyyyzzzz" >> $1/subfolder1/subfolder2/my_property_file.properties
echo "propertyName=$2" >> $1/subfolder1/subfolder2/my_property_file.properties
echo "#xxxxyyyyzzzz" >> $1/subfolder1/subfolder2/my_property_file.properties
echo "propertyName=$3" >> $1/subfolder1/subfolder2/my_property_file.properties
echo "#xxxxyyyyzzzz" >> $1/subfolder1/subfolder2/my_property_file.properties
echo "propertyName=$5" >> $1/subfolder1/subfolder2/my_property_file.properties
echo "#xxxxyyyyzzzz" >> $1/subfolder1/subfolder2/my_property_file.properties
echo "propertyName=N" >> $1/subfolder1/subfolder2/my_property_file.properties
echo "################################################################################" >> $1/subfolder1/subfolder2/my_property_file.properties

ret_code=$?

echo $error_txt
exit $ret_code

The changed if statements don't work. Instead of "command not found" it says "integer expression expected" now. Line numbers stay the same. Regarding wrapping with quotes: I already tried that (see OP) and it didn't make a difference. — daZza
– daZza, Commented Jun 27, 2016 at 15:19
The brackets are important, and if you get an error like 'integer expression expected', does it not occur to you to check the bash documentation and try == instead of -eq? If not, why not? — user594138
– user594138, Commented Jun 27, 2016 at 15:37

chepner · Accepted Answer · 2016-06-27 15:31:35Z

2

This is invalid:

if $1=""

You need to use the test command to compare variables. Pay close attention to the whitespace as well:

if test "$1" = "" ;

This can also be written more briefly as

if test -z "$1" ;

answered Jun 27, 2016 at 15:31

chepner

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1 Comment

daZza Over a year ago

That fixed it, thanks. Strange thing is I used the same if-tests in my other script that worked fine, but I'll just replace it all with the test -z command

Nick Ellis · Accepted Answer · 2016-06-27 15:00:19Z

0

You may need to provide what is happening in the code on that line, but from what I can tell you are trying to do something like this in your script:

some/path=$1

you can't do that. "/" is a special character and cannot be part of a bash var name.

answered Jun 27, 2016 at 15:00

Nick Ellis

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1 Comment

daZza Over a year ago

My bad, I thought this was solely a problem with the call of the scripts and not the script itself. I'll update the OP in a few minutes. Thanks!

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