[SOLVED] mail Subject getting truncated

vinaytp · 09-23-2010, 05:16 AM

Hi All,

I am facing a simple problem, but could not reconginse so far. Here is a script that I use to send mails

Code:

#!/bin/bash
SUBJECT="This server has problem"
TO="308718@CDCTGIMCLSB.localdomain"
cat mail | mail -s ${SUBJECT} ${TO}

I am receiving the mail in mail box of system, but subject line getting truncated to just This instead of This server has problem.

Here is mail

Code:

[308718@CDCTGIMCLSB ~]$ mail
Mail version 8.1 6/6/93.  Type ? for help.
"/var/spool/mail/308718": 2 messages 1 new 2 unread
 U  1 308718@CDCTGIMCLSB.l  Tue Sep 21 15:42  15/682   "hi vinay"
>N  2 308718@CDCTGIMCLSB.l  Thu Sep 23 15:41  20/841   "This"
& 2
Message 2:
From 308718@CDCTGIMCLSB.localdomain  Thu Sep 23 15:41:34 2010
Date: Thu, 23 Sep 2010 15:38:22 +0530
From: 308718@CDCTGIMCLSB.localdomain
To: 308718@CDCTGIMCLSB.localdomain, has@CDCTGIMCLSB.localdomain,
        problem@CDCTGIMCLSB.localdomain, server@CDCTGIMCLSB.localdomainSubject: This

#!/bin/bash
SUBJECT="This server has problem"
TO="308718@CDCTGIMCLSB.localdomain"
cat mail | mail -s ${SUBJECT} ${TO}

& q
Saved 1 message in mbox
Held 1 message in /var/spool/mail/308718

Subject line is getting split as shown below

Code:

To: 308718@CDCTGIMCLSB.localdomain, has@CDCTGIMCLSB.localdomain,
        problem@CDCTGIMCLSB.localdomain, server@CDCTGIMCLSB.localdomain

But following command directly in command prompt works well

Code:

cat mail | mail -s  "This server has problem" 308718@CDCTGIMCLSB.localdomain

Any Ideas ?

MensaWater · 09-23-2010, 07:54 AM

Your variable is losing the quotes. Alternatively try putting extra quoting when you set it:

Maybe putting quotes around ${SUBJECT} in the mail line.
cat mail | mail -s "${SUBJECT}" ${TO}

OR quoting the quotes in the set line:
SUBJECT='"This server has problem"'

OR escaping the quotes:
SUBJECT=\"This server has problem\"

Sometimes you have to try various things to insure the characters you want are passed properly.

vinaytp · 09-23-2010, 08:46 AM

Thanks MensaWater, Your suggestion worked for me !!

MensaWater · 09-23-2010, 10:17 AM

No problem.

If this is resolved please use the thread tools to mark it as resolved. Also please note exactly which of the things I suggested fixed it. That way if someone else is searching in future they'll find the fix.

vinaytp · 09-23-2010, 10:26 AM

Hi MensaWater,

Sorry, forgot to mark thread as solved.

Adding double quotes on ${SUBJECT} fixed it !!

Code:

cat mail | mail -s "${SUBJECT}" ${TO}

Thanks again.