bash command to print string in unambiguous form
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I am wondering whether there exists a command in bash to print a string in a way exposes the special character it contains.
For example, suppose that a=$'abe'; does there exists a function to print abe literally from $a?
The closest I have got so far is by using the l command from sed:
echo "$a" | sed -n 'l'
which returns a00b33$, but the notation is different from that inside $'', and it doesn't work if the string contains newlines.
bash string
asked Oct 15 '17 at 20:18
Rastapopoulos
518112
 |Â
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up vote
5
down vote
favorite
I am wondering whether there exists a command in bash to print a string in a way exposes the special character it contains.
For example, suppose that a=$'abe'; does there exists a function to print abe literally from $a?
The closest I have got so far is by using the l command from sed:
echo "$a" | sed -n 'l'
which returns a00b33$, but the notation is different from that inside $'', and it doesn't work if the string contains newlines.
bash string
asked Oct 15 '17 at 20:18
Rastapopoulos
518112
1
As variant thecat -A. It shows non-printable characters, but in the another form.echo $'tbea' | cat -Aoutput:^I^H^[^G
– MiniMax
Oct 15 '17 at 20:35
1
Also,od -c:echo $'tbea' | od -c. Output:0000000 t b 033 a n.
– MiniMax
Oct 15 '17 at 20:50
1
A slightly closer option isprintf %s "$a" | hexdump -c, which gives me… a b 033 …, i.e. just mangles thee.
– Sparhawk
Oct 15 '17 at 21:16
1
Can a string contain? I don't think so. @Sparhawk, what is your bash version?
– glenn jackman
Oct 16 '17 at 0:48
1
zsh is not bash. It's a completely different shell
– glenn jackman
Oct 16 '17 at 9:50
 |Â
show 1 more comment
up vote
5
down vote
favorite
up vote
5
down vote
favorite
I am wondering whether there exists a command in bash to print a string in a way exposes the special character it contains.
For example, suppose that a=$'abe'; does there exists a function to print abe literally from $a?
The closest I have got so far is by using the l command from sed:
echo "$a" | sed -n 'l'
which returns a00b33$, but the notation is different from that inside $'', and it doesn't work if the string contains newlines.
bash string
asked Oct 15 '17 at 20:18
Rastapopoulos
518112
I am wondering whether there exists a command in bash to print a string in a way exposes the special character it contains.
For example, suppose that a=$'abe'; does there exists a function to print abe literally from $a?
The closest I have got so far is by using the l command from sed:
echo "$a" | sed -n 'l'
which returns a00b33$, but the notation is different from that inside $'', and it doesn't work if the string contains newlines.
bash string
asked Oct 15 '17 at 20:18
Rastapopoulos
518112
edited Jan 14 at 15:09
asked Oct 15 '17 at 20:18
Rastapopoulos
518112
asked Oct 15 '17 at 20:18
Rastapopoulos
518112
asked Oct 15 '17 at 20:18
Rastapopoulos
518112
518112
1
As variant thecat -A. It shows non-printable characters, but in the another form.echo $'tbea' | cat -Aoutput:^I^H^[^G
– MiniMax
Oct 15 '17 at 20:35
1
Also,od -c:echo $'tbea' | od -c. Output:0000000 t b 033 a n.
– MiniMax
Oct 15 '17 at 20:50
1
A slightly closer option isprintf %s "$a" | hexdump -c, which gives me… a b 033 …, i.e. just mangles thee.
– Sparhawk
Oct 15 '17 at 21:16
1
Can a string contain? I don't think so. @Sparhawk, what is your bash version?
– glenn jackman
Oct 16 '17 at 0:48
1
zsh is not bash. It's a completely different shell
– glenn jackman
Oct 16 '17 at 9:50
 |Â
show 1 more comment
1
As variant thecat -A. It shows non-printable characters, but in the another form.echo $'tbea' | cat -Aoutput:^I^H^[^G
– MiniMax
Oct 15 '17 at 20:35
1
Also,od -c:echo $'tbea' | od -c. Output:0000000 t b 033 a n.
– MiniMax
Oct 15 '17 at 20:50
1
A slightly closer option isprintf %s "$a" | hexdump -c, which gives me… a b 033 …, i.e. just mangles thee.
– Sparhawk
Oct 15 '17 at 21:16
1
Can a string contain? I don't think so. @Sparhawk, what is your bash version?
– glenn jackman
Oct 16 '17 at 0:48
1
zsh is not bash. It's a completely different shell
– glenn jackman
Oct 16 '17 at 9:50
1
1
As variant the
cat -A. It shows non-printable characters, but in the another form. echo $'tbea' | cat -A output: ^I^H^[^G– MiniMax
Oct 15 '17 at 20:35
As variant the
cat -A. It shows non-printable characters, but in the another form. echo $'tbea' | cat -A output: ^I^H^[^G– MiniMax
Oct 15 '17 at 20:35
1
1
Also,
od -c: echo $'tbea' | od -c. Output: 0000000 t b 033 a n.– MiniMax
Oct 15 '17 at 20:50
Also,
od -c: echo $'tbea' | od -c. Output: 0000000 t b 033 a n.– MiniMax
Oct 15 '17 at 20:50
1
1
A slightly closer option is
printf %s "$a" | hexdump -c, which gives me … a b 033 …, i.e. just mangles the e.– Sparhawk
Oct 15 '17 at 21:16
A slightly closer option is
printf %s "$a" | hexdump -c, which gives me … a b 033 …, i.e. just mangles the e.– Sparhawk
Oct 15 '17 at 21:16
1
1
Can a string contain
– glenn jackman
Oct 16 '17 at 0:48
Can a string contain
– glenn jackman
Oct 16 '17 at 0:48
1
1
zsh is not bash. It's a completely different shell
– glenn jackman
Oct 16 '17 at 9:50
zsh is not bash. It's a completely different shell
– glenn jackman
Oct 16 '17 at 9:50
 |Â
show 1 more comment
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
up vote
6
down vote
var=$'a b 10 c'
printf %q "$var"
$'a b b c'
This works in bash. I do not know how compatible this is.
answered Oct 15 '17 at 21:31
Hauke Laging
53.6k1282130
2
Inbash4.4, you can also get the same string via parameter expansion:$a@Q.
– chepner
Oct 16 '17 at 1:47
add a comment |Â
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
6
down vote
var=$'a b 10 c'
printf %q "$var"
$'a b b c'
This works in bash. I do not know how compatible this is.
answered Oct 15 '17 at 21:31
Hauke Laging
53.6k1282130
2
Inbash4.4, you can also get the same string via parameter expansion:$a@Q.
– chepner
Oct 16 '17 at 1:47
add a comment |Â
up vote
6
down vote
var=$'a b 10 c'
printf %q "$var"
$'a b b c'
This works in bash. I do not know how compatible this is.
answered Oct 15 '17 at 21:31
Hauke Laging
53.6k1282130
2
Inbash4.4, you can also get the same string via parameter expansion:$a@Q.
– chepner
Oct 16 '17 at 1:47
add a comment |Â
up vote
6
down vote
up vote
6
down vote
var=$'a b 10 c'
printf %q "$var"
$'a b b c'
This works in bash. I do not know how compatible this is.
answered Oct 15 '17 at 21:31
Hauke Laging
53.6k1282130
var=$'a b 10 c'
printf %q "$var"
$'a b b c'
This works in bash. I do not know how compatible this is.
answered Oct 15 '17 at 21:31
Hauke Laging
53.6k1282130
answered Oct 15 '17 at 21:31
Hauke Laging
53.6k1282130
answered Oct 15 '17 at 21:31
Hauke Laging
53.6k1282130
answered Oct 15 '17 at 21:31
Hauke Laging
53.6k1282130
53.6k1282130
2
Inbash4.4, you can also get the same string via parameter expansion:$a@Q.
– chepner
Oct 16 '17 at 1:47
add a comment |Â
2
Inbash4.4, you can also get the same string via parameter expansion:$a@Q.
– chepner
Oct 16 '17 at 1:47
2
2
In
bash 4.4, you can also get the same string via parameter expansion: $a@Q.– chepner
Oct 16 '17 at 1:47
In
bash 4.4, you can also get the same string via parameter expansion: $a@Q.– chepner
Oct 16 '17 at 1:47
add a comment |Â
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1
As variant the
cat -A. It shows non-printable characters, but in the another form.echo $'tbea' | cat -Aoutput:^I^H^[^G– MiniMax
Oct 15 '17 at 20:35
1
Also,
od -c:echo $'tbea' | od -c. Output:0000000 t b 033 a n.– MiniMax
Oct 15 '17 at 20:50
1
A slightly closer option is
printf %s "$a" | hexdump -c, which gives me… a b 033 …, i.e. just mangles thee.– Sparhawk
Oct 15 '17 at 21:16
1
Can a string contain
? I don't think so. @Sparhawk, what is your bash version?– glenn jackman
Oct 16 '17 at 0:48
1
zsh is not bash. It's a completely different shell
– glenn jackman
Oct 16 '17 at 9:50