Multiplying strings in bash script

Question

I know that if I do print ("f" + 2 * "o") in python the output will be foo.

But how do I do the same thing in a bash script?

Answer 1

You can use bash command substitution to be more portable across systems than to use a variant specific command.

$ myString=$(printf "%10s");echo ${myString// /m}           # echoes 'm' 10 times
mmmmmmmmmm

$ myString=$(printf "%10s");echo ${myString// /rep}         # echoes 'rep' 10 times
reprepreprepreprepreprepreprep

Wrapping it up in a more usable shell-function

repeatChar() {
    local input="$1"
    local count="$2"
    printf -v myString '%*s' "$count"
    printf '%s\n' "${myString// /$input}"
}

$ repeatChar str 10
strstrstrstrstrstrstrstrstrstr