Surely this can be done easier...

Surely this can be done easier...

[DervishD]

    Hi all :))

    I have a file containing a list of files, and I want those files
in a command line. The problem is that the filenames contain weird
characters, spaces and so on. Currently I do the following:

    $ while read line ; do array=($array "$line") ; done < listing
    $ command $array

    I've tried things like 'command $(cat listing)', but obviously
they don't work because quoting.

    Can this be done simpler? I think that I made this same question
a time ago, but I haven't found it in the mailing list archive :(

    Thanks a lot in advance and happy holidays (if any) ;))

    Raúl Núñez de Arenas Coronado

-- 
Linux Registered User 88736
http://www.pleyades.net & http://raul.pleyades.net/

Re: Surely this can be done easier...

[Bart Schaefer]

On Dec 24, 10:10pm, DervishD wrote:
}
}     I have a file containing a list of files, and I want those files
} in a command line. The problem is that the filenames contain weird
} characters, spaces and so on.

This is pretty close to a FAQ.

First you read the entire file like this:

	$(<listing)

Next you need to quote that to protect the lines from being joined:

	"$(<listing)"

Next you split on line breaks:

	${(f)"$(<listing)"}

And that's the argument of the command:

	command ${(f)"$(<listing)"}

In some older versions of zsh you need to move the quotes outside the
whole expression:

	command "${(f)$(<listing)}"

Re: Surely this can be done easier...

[DervishD]

    Hi Bart :)

 * Bart Schaefer <schaefer@brasslantern.com> dixit:
> }     I have a file containing a list of files, and I want those files
> } in a command line. The problem is that the filenames contain weird
> } characters, spaces and so on.
> This is pretty close to a FAQ.

    Yes O:) You can see the solution in the Examples of section
'Parameter Expansion' in the manual (well, now that I know what to
look for).
 
> 	$(<listing)
> 	"$(<listing)"
> 	${(f)"$(<listing)"}
> 	command ${(f)"$(<listing)"}

    Oh, I see where was the problem :(( It was entirely my fault. I
was doing more or less the same (I even tried with ps:\n:), but using
$(cat listing) instead of the command substitution. The problem was
that I was using 'print' as the command and I saw the lines without
quoting, of course! What I meant, what I wanted to check, is pressing
Tab and seeing the list of files from 'listing' quoted and put on the
command line. Instead I pressed Enter and, obviously, I saw the
output of 'print', which is all files together with no quoting or
separation.

    The solution, as always, is trying to sleep a bit more :((( Sorry
for the noise and thanks a lot for your answer...

    Raúl Núñez de Arenas Coronado

-- 
Linux Registered User 88736
http://www.pleyades.net & http://raul.pleyades.net/