Bash script syntax different for Ubuntu(Lucid)?

debsys07 · 02-17-2011, 05:02 PM

In a bash script brought over from a Debian/Lenny system, Ubuntu 10.04 stumbles on the left parenthesis in the expression below:

NEED_COLS=$[($HEX_WIDTH * 4) + 12]

Is it an Ubuntu/Debian script style mismatch, or just post-Lenny? If that can be answered, is there a way to reconcile or syntax check older scripts?

Thx,
Ron

jlinkels · 02-17-2011, 05:07 PM

It runs correctly in GNU bash, version 4.1.5(1)-release (i486-pc-linux-gnu)

Are you sure you are running Bash as your shell? I bet you are running Dash, which indeed gives this error. You can overcome that by explicitly running /bin/bash yourscript, or change #!/bin/sh to #!/bin/bash, or set bash as your default shell instead of dash.

jlinkels

debsys07 · 02-17-2011, 05:45 PM

Well, you're just all over my problems today. This is the 2nd one you've answered. Glad you're out there!

Funny, under Lenny, I had #!/bin/sh on all my scripts (partly from inheriting the code), but they ran "bash-wise." I'm not at the machine with Ubuntu today, but I'm pretty sure bash is my default shell there as well. At least the .bash* scripts get run at login.

Anyway, I'll check out the native shell theory tomorrow.

Thx again!
Ron