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Old 01-31-2017, 03:15 AM   #1
vincix
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understand IFS change for looping files with spaces


The other day I was trying to loop some files that contained spaces. I was trying to delete the same string that appeared at the beginning of several files using substring removal.
Suppose the filename is "First - Second - file.txt" and I'd like to remove "First - Second - " so that only "file.txt" remains.
So I tried:
Code:
for i in First*; do mv $i ${i##* }; done.
But it didn't work and then someone told me that I needed to change the IFS. Which I did, following these instructions: https://www.cyberciti.biz/tips/handl...s-in-bash.html

And it worked just fine.
The site suggests using IFS=$(echo -en "\n\b")

Could anyone explain to me exactly what is going on? How does bash process the loop and why does one need a backspace after a newline? I really don't understand the mechanism, even if it would seem rather basic.
 
Old 01-31-2017, 05:41 AM   #2
allend
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You need to quote the variables,
Code:
for i in First*; do mv "$i" "${i##* }"; done
otherwise the command expands to
Code:
mv First - Second - file.txt file.txt
instead of
Code:
mv "First - Second - file.txt" "file.txt"
as you want.
 
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Old 01-31-2017, 07:36 AM   #3
grail
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Above is solution, but if I may, until you are 100%, ALWAYS quote variables in bash.
 
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Old 01-31-2017, 10:18 AM   #4
vincix
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I suppose that's much easier. Thanks
 
Old 01-31-2017, 10:56 AM   #5
grail
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Please mark as SOLVED once you have a solution.
 
  


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