Using an array in bash for mutiple paths

[thomas130]

Hi guys I'm trying my hand at arrays in bash for a backup script. Now I not sure if this is the correct thing to do and just look at website and amended but does'nt work. Could someone tell me where I'm going wrong

Thanks in advanced

LOG_DIR="/home/ops/Desktop/temp"
array[0]=3
array[1]=/home/ops/Desktop/dir1
array[2]=/home/ops/Desktop/dir2
array[3]=/etc/dir3

cd $LOG_DIR
tar cvzf backup-"$(date +%d-%b-%y)".tar $array

this is the error

LOG_DIR="/home/ops/Desktop/temp"
array[0]=3
array[1]=/home/ops/Desktop/dir1
array[2]=/home/ops/Desktop/dir2
array[3]=/etc/dir3

This is the error I get
tar: 3: Cannot stat: No such file or directory

[Nagarjuna]

When running the tar command, be sure you reference the array like so:

tar czvf backup-"$(date +%d-%b-%y)".tar ${array[@]}

Writing out the array variable like above tells tar to run against each individual entry in the array.

Also, what is the purpose of 'array[0]=3'? Does a file named '3' exist? This may cause some problems with tar.

I recreated the script on my computer and it works. Here is the code I used:

#!/bin/bash

array[0]=/home/tristan/scripts/access
array[1]=/home/tristan/scripts/backup
array[2]=/home/tristan/scripts/newuser
array[3]=/home/tristan/scripts/pacman

echo ${array[@]}
tar czvf backup-"$(date +%d-%b-%y)".tar ${array[@]}

I hope this helps. If not, let me know and I'll try to assist further.

[thomas130]

When running the tar command, be sure you reference the array like so:

tar czvf backup-"$(date +%d-%b-%y)".tar ${array[@]}

Writing out the array variable like above tells tar to run against each individual entry in the array.

Also, what is the purpose of 'array[0]=3'? Does a file named '3' exist? This may cause some problems with tar.

I recreated the script on my computer and it works. Here is the code I used:

#!/bin/bash

array[0]=/home/tristan/scripts/access
array[1]=/home/tristan/scripts/backup
array[2]=/home/tristan/scripts/newuser
array[3]=/home/tristan/scripts/pacman

echo ${array[@]}
tar czvf backup-"$(date +%d-%b-%y)".tar ${array[@]}

I hope this helps. If not, let me know and I'll try to assist further.

Thank you for help that has work great

[stokes]

I've been a Linux user for quite a few years now, but have never seen this kind of syntax used before. Usually the following more simple syntax is used to with with arrays in shell scripts.

#!/bin/bash

array="~tristan/scripts/access ~tristan/scripts/backup ~tristan/scripts/newuser ~tristan/scripts/pacman"

echo ${array}
tar czvf backup-$(date +%d-%b-%y).tar ${array}

[drl]

Hi.

I infer that stokes is saying that you don't need arrays in this instance. Here's a short script that shows how bash might handle this:

#!/usr/bin/env bash

# @(#) s1	Demonstrate defining and dereferencing arrays in shell script.

# Utility functions: print-as-echo, print-line-with-visual-space, debug.
pe() { for i;do printf "%s" "$i";done; printf "\n"; }
pl() { pe;pe "-----" ;pe "$*"; }
db() { ( printf " db, ";for i;do printf "%s" "$i";done; printf "\n" ) >&2 ; }
db() { : ; }
C=$HOME/bin/context && [ -f $C ] && . $C

array=( x y z )
scalar="x y z"

pl " Contents of entire array:"
echo ${array}
echo ${array[*]}
echo ${array[@]}

pl " Contents of scalar:"
echo $scalar

exit 0

producing:

% ./s1

Environment: LC_ALL = C, LANG = C
(Versions displayed with local utility "version")
OS, ker|rel, machine: Linux, 2.6.26-2-amd64, x86_64
Distribution        : Debian GNU/Linux 5.0.7 (lenny) 
GNU bash 3.2.39

-----
 Contents of entire array:
x
x y z
x y z

-----
 Contents of scalar:
x y z

However, it might be surprising to see how another shell, zsh, performs:

% zsh s1

Environment: LC_ALL = C, LANG = C
(Versions displayed with local utility "version")
OS, ker|rel, machine: Linux, 2.6.26-2-amd64, x86_64
Distribution        : Debian GNU/Linux 5.0.7 (lenny) 
zsh 4.3.6

-----
 Contents of entire array:
x y z
x y z
x y z

-----
 Contents of scalar:
x y z

One might find interesting examples of array use with bash at: Arrays

Best wishes ... cheers, drl

[Nagarjuna]

Cool, thanks for the alternative examples guys. I'm really new to scripting/programming and trying to get my feet wet, so your input helps greatly.. Nothing worse than doing more work to achieve something that you could of with half the effort!

I'll play around with the examples when I get home. Thanks again.

[cfajohnson]

I've been a Linux user for quite a few years now, but have never seen this kind of syntax used before. Usually the following more simple syntax is used to with with arrays in shell scripts.

#!/bin/bash

array="~tristan/scripts/access ~tristan/scripts/backup ~tristan/scripts/newuser ~tristan/scripts/pacman"

echo ${array}
tar czvf backup-$(date +%d-%b-%y).tar ${array}

That will not work if any filenames contain whitespace; using an array, it will work with any filenames.

[cfajohnson]

When running the tar command, be sure you reference the array like so:

tar czvf backup-"$(date +%d-%b-%y)".tar ${array[@]}

That will fail if any filenames contain whitespace. Use:

tar czvf backup-$(date +%Y-%m-%d).tar "${array[@]}"

[Nagarjuna]

That will fail if any filenames contain whitespace. Use:

tar czvf backup-$(date +%Y-%m-%d).tar "${array[@]}"

Heh, I figured this out the hard-way just a couple days ago! Thanks for the clarification, cfajohnson.