ksh/bash run command line from variable

Question

I set in cmd variable the find syntax: , I use ksh shell/bash

 # cmd=" find /usr/cti/conf -name \"*.tgz*\" "
 # echo $cmd
   find /usr/cti/conf/ -name "*.tgz*"

so why when I want to run the cmd as the following I not actually activate the find ...

 # exec $cmd
  appserver1a:/var/tmp/    ROOT #     ( this exit from the shell )

it’s also not works when I run with double brackets

  exec "$cmd"
  ksh:  find /usr/cti/conf/backup -name "*.tgz*" :  not found

what is the resolution for this?

Remark I not want to set the cmd like this ( this is works )

     cmd=`  find /usr/cti/conf/backup -name "*.tgz*"  `

or

      cmd=$( find /usr/cti/conf/backup -name "*.tgz*" )

You can try cmd=(find /usr/cti/conf/backup -name "*.tgz*") then execute it as ${cmd[@]}. — alvits
– alvits, Commented Jun 25, 2015 at 9:01

Community · Accepted Answer · 2017-05-23 12:29:39Z

1

Store your command string in the variable:

cmd="find /usr/cti/conf/backup -name \"*.tgz*\""

Then, evaluate the variable contents:

eval "$cmd"

UPDATE: the safer option, according to alvits and Gordon:

cmd=(find /usr/cti/conf/backup -name "*.tgz*")
${cmd[@]}

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answered Jun 25, 2015 at 8:49

Eugeniu Rosca

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1 Comment

Don't do this -- eval is an open invitation to subtle and incomprehensible bugs. Use an array (See @alvits' comment) instead.

Mateusz Kleinert · Accepted Answer · 2015-06-25 09:26:37Z

0

Both solutions - the one provided below and the one posted by Eugeniu Rosca - seem to work for me.

cmd="find /usr/cti/conf/backup -name \"*.tgz*\""
exec $cmd

answered Jun 25, 2015 at 9:26

Mateusz Kleinert

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