Bash prints syntax error when command in $(...) contains case-esac
Configuration Information [Automatically generated, do not change]: Machine: i686 OS: cygwin Compiler: gcc Compilation CFLAGS: -DPROGRAM='bash.exe' -DCONF_HOSTTYPE='i686' -DCONF_OSTYPE='cygwin' -DCONF_MACHTYPE='i686-pc-cygwin' -DCONF_VENDOR='pc' -DLOCALEDIR='/usr/share/locale' -DPACKAGE='bash' -DSHELL -DHAVE_CONFIG_H -DRECYCLES_PIDS -I. -I/home/eblake/bash-3.2.9-11/src/bash-3.2 -I/home/eblake/bash-3.2.9-11/src/bash-3.2/include -I/home/eblake/bash-3.2.9-11/src/bash-3.2/lib -O2 -pipe uname output: CYGWIN_NT-5.0 JONA 1.5.24(0.156/4/2) 2007-01-31 10:57 i686 Cygwin Machine Type: i686-pc-cygwin Bash Version: 3.2 Patch Level: 9 Release Status: release Description: If a command in $(...) contains a case-esac construction, the bash prints a syntax error instead of executing the code: bash: syntax error near unexpected token `;;' Repeat-By: A simple example is: x=$(a=4; case $a in 3) echo a=3;; 4) echo a=4;; esac) (typed in an interactive shell or being part of a shell script). The same error has been seen on Windows Vista, Windows XP and Windows2000. The same error has been seen with an earlier version of bash, i.e. 2.05b.0(8)-release If $(...) is replaced by `...`, it works.
Re: Bash prints syntax error when command in $(...) contains case-esac
Juergen Gohlke schrieb: Configuration Information [Automatically generated, do not change]: Machine: i686 OS: cygwin Compiler: gcc Compilation CFLAGS: -DPROGRAM='bash.exe' -DCONF_HOSTTYPE='i686' -DCONF_OSTYPE='cygwin' -DCONF_MACHTYPE='i686-pc-cygwin' -DCONF_VENDOR='pc' -DLOCALEDIR='/usr/share/locale' -DPACKAGE='bash' -DSHELL -DHAVE_CONFIG_H -DRECYCLES_PIDS -I. -I/home/eblake/bash-3.2.9-11/src/bash-3.2 -I/home/eblake/bash-3.2.9-11/src/bash-3.2/include -I/home/eblake/bash-3.2.9-11/src/bash-3.2/lib -O2 -pipe uname output: CYGWIN_NT-5.0 JONA 1.5.24(0.156/4/2) 2007-01-31 10:57 i686 Cygwin Machine Type: i686-pc-cygwin Bash Version: 3.2 Patch Level: 9 Release Status: release Description: If a command in $(...) contains a case-esac construction, the bash prints a syntax error instead of executing the code: bash: syntax error near unexpected token `;;' Repeat-By: A simple example is: x=$(a=4; case $a in 3) echo a=3;; 4) echo a=4;; esac) (typed in an interactive shell or being part of a shell script). The same error has been seen on Windows Vista, Windows XP and Windows2000. The same error has been seen with an earlier version of bash, i.e. 2.05b.0(8)-release If $(...) is replaced by `...`, it works. The problem is caused by the semi-parenthesized case labels 3) and 4). Bash matches the first unpaired right paren (after the 3) with the last unpaired left paren (in $( ). Using (3) and (4) instead makes the example work. Unpaired parens are hideous anyway, IMHO. Regards, Bernd -- Bernd Eggink [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://sudrala.de
Re: Bash prints syntax error when command in $(...) contains case-esac
Juergen Gohlke wrote: Description: If a command in $(...) contains a case-esac construction, the bash prints a syntax error instead of executing the code: bash: syntax error near unexpected token `;;' In case you have trouble with code you need, use this workaround: x=$(a=4; case $a in (3) echo a=3;; (4) echo a=4;; esac) And yes, I've also seen this before and I thought it was fixed - maybe I thought of something else. J.
Re: Bash prints syntax error when command in $(...) contains case-esac
Machine Type: i686-pc-cygwin Bash Version: 3.2 Patch Level: 9 Release Status: release Description: If a command in $(...) contains a case-esac construction, the bash prints a syntax error instead of executing the code: bash: syntax error near unexpected token `;;' Repeat-By: A simple example is: x=$(a=4; case $a in 3) echo a=3;; 4) echo a=4;; esac) This is a long-standing problem, caused by the bash parser's requirement that parens match. Posix introduced the optional left paren before a case statement pattern list to finesse the problem, but current versions of the standard require that commands inside $(...) be parsed correctly even in the absence of balanced parens. Bash-4.0 will work as you expect, without requiring the parens to balance. Chet -- ``The lyf so short, the craft so long to lerne.'' - Chaucer Chet Ramey, ITS, CWRU[EMAIL PROTECTED]http://tiswww.tis.case.edu/~chet/
