Hi David! > A syntax error would be nice instead.
I see - also from you second answer - that you have some fundamental misunderstandings about shell programming: - Your code will, in case the testCode fails, try execute a program called {echo. This is certainly not a good name for a program, but it is not a syntax error either. - Since bash interprets the code the problem with the closing brace is only detected when the offending line is passed. My personal opinion (although I'll probably be bashed here for it ;-) ): Except for a very few exceptions like small wrappers avoid writing new shell scripts at all - for example use python instead. There are many historically founded flaws and odds with shell proramming. Anyhow, bug-bash@gnu.org is not the right place for these topics, better try help-b...@gnu.org. Best regards Martin