Creating a file in a specific directory using Bash?

Question

Normally to create a file in a directory I would use:

echo > /home/user/fileName

but, in this case, my directory path I want to create the file in is stored in a variable in my script so I can't write out the path like that. How do I create a new file inside of it?

paxdiablo · Accepted Answer · 2023-03-29 23:08:44Z

11

If you have a variable myPath, you can use:

echo > "${myPath}/fileName"

as per the following transcript:

pax:~$ export myPath="/tmp"

pax:~$ ls -al /tmp/xyzzy
ls: cannot access /tmp/xyzzy: No such file or directory

pax:~$ echo > "${myPath}/xyzzy"

pax:~$ ls -al /tmp/xyzzy
-rw-r--r-- 1 pax pax 1 2011-12-06 12:30 /tmp/xyzzy

edited Mar 29, 2023 at 23:08

answered Dec 6, 2011 at 4:29

paxdiablo

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David Schwartz · Accepted Answer · 2011-12-06 04:30:41Z

3

Just use:

echo > ${WHATEVER}/fileName

answered Dec 6, 2011 at 4:30

David Schwartz

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Jaco Van Niekerk · Accepted Answer · 2011-12-06 04:35:58Z

-1

Won't something like

touch $variable/filename

work?

edited Dec 6, 2011 at 4:35

answered Dec 6, 2011 at 4:29

Jaco Van Niekerk

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jmr333 · Accepted Answer · 2015-11-10 03:29:52Z

-1

 #Enter designated directory

 cd designatedDirectory

 #Create file in directory

 cat > file.txt

 #OR

 touch file.txt

answered Nov 10, 2015 at 3:29

jmr333

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