Script syntax error but why?

[davidsc]

My bash script includes the following:

# Read config file if it is present.
if [ -r /etc/default/$NAME ]
then
	. /etc/default/$NAME
fi

if [ "$STARTUP" = "no" ]; then
	echo "Need to configure config.xml before starting the server"
	exit 0
fi

I get a syntax error when I run it
/etc/init.d/red5: 32: Syntax error: "fi" unexpected (expecting "then")

where line 32 is the last line with 'fi'

[ennoil]

I think you will find that if you remove "; then" from the second if statement and put "then" on its own line then you will be fine. I can't remember the details as to why that is true but what you have won't work.

[aliov]

My bash script includes the following:

# Read config file if it is present.
if [ -r /etc/default/$NAME ] then

you forgot the semi column.

[davidsc]

The original script had the first if fo construct which is fine.
The second one I have introduced to check a variable but it is causing the syntax error. Taking the ; away and putting 'then' on the next line doesn't get rid of the syntax error.

[mitchpotter]

The semicolon syntax is correct if you want to have then on the same line as the if statement. I've seen similar errors when if statements outside/around or above the code had mismatched if:then:fi problems. You might want to look at other tests in your code.

[i92guboj]

The semicolon syntax is correct if you want to have then on the same line as the if statement. I've seen similar errors when if statements outside/around or above the code had mismatched if:then:fi problems. You might want to look at other tests in your code.

Yep. But I would personally start by correctly quoting all the variables. It's very likely that some weird string is causing all the trouble.

[eggi]

I cut and pasted your original code and didn't get an error.

It's possible that you have some invisible control characters in your script. Did you ftp it from one place to another (possible ascii/binary problem)? You should be able to see if this is the issue by doing

cat -v yourScript

If it is, the easiest way to fix this is to run dos2unix, or you can edit the file with vi and just replace the control chars with nothing

Hope that helps

, Mike

[davidsc]

Insidious little error.

[eggi]

Good news Glad I could help you out

Best wishes,

Mike