[SOLVED] Creating a function

lamont0 · 03-13-2016, 06:13 PM

I create the file .whoisthere. At the command line I enter . .whoisthere2. Then I execute whoisthere2 "These are the folks who are logged in." The parameter $1 is not echoed as I expect. Tried with and without quotes. What am I failing to do?

Code:

# !/bin/bash
whoisthere2()
{
echo "$1"
who
}

hydrurga · 03-13-2016, 06:30 PM

Bash functions: http://tldp.org/HOWTO/Bash-Prog-Intro-HOWTO-8.html

But in fact you don't need a function. All you need to do is create the script whoisthere and then call it from the command line.

Give it another go.

lamont0 · 03-13-2016, 06:50 PM

Thank you for your reply. I have performed this with a script as shown by the example you provided. However, I want to learn how to do this by loading it into memory. When in memory it does no accept the argument that is passed but it will with the script. I do not understand the difference. What is needed when the function is loaded into memory to accept the arguement?

hydrurga · 03-13-2016, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lamont0

Thank you for your reply. I have performed this with a script as shown by the example you provided. However, I want to learn how to do this by loading it into memory. When in memory it does no accept the argument that is passed but it will with the script. I do not understand the difference. What is needed when the function is loaded into memory to accept the arguement?

What do you mean by "loading it into memory"?

Do you mean saving the script as a file so that you can call it from the command line?

lamont0 · 03-13-2016, 07:19 PM

Loading the function into memory is performed by executing the following on the command line: . .whoisthere2. That is a period - space - period function name. The function is now in memory where it will now be executed.

lamont0 · 03-13-2016, 07:27 PM

I have to apologize. The function is now working as expected. Now sure what I did wrong but I am sure it was my fault. Sorry!

hydrurga · 03-13-2016, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lamont0

I have to apologize. The function is now working as expected. Now sure what I did wrong but I am sure it was my fault. Sorry!

And my apologies for not quite understanding what you wanted.

If it's of any interest, this thread points out an alternative way of calling a script function directly (the highest voted answer):

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/8...n-command-line