Ubuntu – Write function in one line into ~/.bashrc

bashrcscriptssyntax

Why when I try to write a function just in one line into .bashrc file,

list(){ ls -a }

I get error?

bash: /home/username/.bashrc: line num: syntax error: unexpected end of file

but when I write it in multi line it's ok?

list(){
    ls -a
}

Best Answer

Functions in bash are essentially named compound commands (or code blocks). From man bash:

Compound Commands
   A compound command is one of the following:
   ...
   { list; }
          list  is simply executed in the current shell environment.  list
          must be terminated with a newline or semicolon.  This  is  known
          as  a  group  command. 

...
Shell Function Definitions
   A shell function is an object that is called like a simple command  and
   executes  a  compound  command with a new set of positional parameters.
   ... [C]ommand is usually a list of commands between { and },  but
   may  be  any command listed under Compound Commands above.

There's no reason given, it's just the syntax.

Since the list in the one-line function given isn't terminated with a newline or a ;, bash complains.

Related Solutions

Ubuntu – “syntax error: unexpected end of file” simple script

There are three obvious errors:

On the line else s=$1-50 m=$2-50 h=$1+1 fi, the word fi is not treated as a keyword, because it is not the first word in the command. To the shell, this looks like three assignments that apply to the command fi. If you ever got to execute this line, you'd see an error bash: fi: command not found. Put fi on a line of its own (or put a ; before it).
[ "$3" < 50 ] is the same as [ "$3" ] < 50 — it's the command [ … ] (which can also be written test) with the sole argument "$3", and with an input redirection from the file 50. Either use the numeric comparison operator -lt, or use an arithmetic instruction (( … )). The single bracket construct is an ordinary built-in command, so special characters such as < retain their normal meaning. The double parenthesis construct is special syntax, and you can use < as a numeric comparison operator inside.
["$2" < 50 ] is missing a space after the opening bracket.

Also the usual convention in shell scripts is to put a newline after then and else. Furthermore, instead of an else block that consists entirely of an if statement, you should use elif. And please indent consistently.

#!/bin/bash
declare -i s
declare -i m
declare -i h

if (( $3 < 50 )); then
  s=$3+10  m=$2  h=$1
elif (( $2 < 50 )); then
  s=$3-50  m=$2+1  h=$1
else
  s=$1-50  m=$2-50  h=$1+1
fi 

echo "$h:$m:$s"

P.S. I haven't reviewed your logic. You seem to be looking for date +%T -d 'now + 10 seconds'.

Ubuntu – bash is looking for a missing ‘ ” ‘ , unexpected EOF

The problem is in your line 120. You are right there is a missing '"' and you should add it there.

When you add the '"' at the end of line 120 then line 120 alters your PATH environment variable in a way it shouldn't. It overrides the PATH and does not take care about previous value of PATH. The correct line 120 would be:

export PATH="/home/chill/android-studio/bin:$PATH"

Take a look at other similar lines and you will notice there is always ":$PATH" at the end. That means that you only add a new directory to already existing list of directories in the $PATH. Your line 120 just overrides PATH with one directory. With $PATH at the end your sudo will work too. Not just the bashrc script.

Best Answer

Related Solutions

Ubuntu – “syntax error: unexpected end of file” simple script

Ubuntu – bash is looking for a missing ‘ ” ‘ , unexpected EOF

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