Resolving Shell Program Issues - Running a Script Repeatedly in Bash

Discover how to fix the issue of executing a shell script multiple times in Bash by properly using glob patterns.
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Resolving Shell Program Issues: Running a Script Repeatedly in Bash

Have you ever faced a situation in shell scripting where you intended to execute a script multiple times, but it only ran once? This common issue can frustrate many and can often stem from misunderstandings about how to handle file patterns within scripts. Today, we’re going to explore a specific problem involving two shell scripts and how to correct it for successful repeated execution.

The Problem

Code Overview

Here’s the example code provided by the user:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Understanding the Issue

At first glance, the code appears to be structured properly for iterating over files using a for loop. However, the critical issue lies in how the file pattern is quoted:

Quoted Pattern: for fname in "../hostchng/*"

When the pattern is enclosed in quotes, the shell treats it as a literal string, meaning the loop only runs once with fname set to "../hostchng/*" instead of iterating over the actual files.

Finding the Solution

Corrected Code

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Explanation of Changes

Unquoted Wildcard: By removing the quotes, the shell is now instructed to expand the wildcard * into the list of files that match the pattern in the ../hostchng directory.

Conclusion

By following the guidance shared in this post, you can avoid being stuck when your scripts don’t behave as expected. Happy scripting!