command line arguments containing (

Lotharster · 12-08-2005, 06:06 AM

I'd like to pass a string that contains brackets '(' as a command line argument to a script, like e.g.

Code:

$ calc f(x)

But there's a bash error:
bash: syntax error near unexpected token `('
I know that I can use '\(', but this can become quite cumbersome when using many brackets. Is there a better way?

phil.d.g · 12-08-2005, 06:27 AM

wrap the arguments in quotes?

Code:

calc "f(x)"

Thymox · 01-05-2006, 07:51 AM

Ofcourse, if it is the result of the calc statement that you wanted passed as an argument to another command, you could wrap the whole thing in left-hand quotes:

Code:

$ newcommand `calc f(x)`

pixellany · 01-05-2006, 08:43 AM

si the calc function expecting a string similar to "f(x)"? If so, then simply use the parantheses.
Otherwise, let us know what calc expects.....