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bashsftp

Getting file with space in string from sftp through bash script

I have a bash script to get a file from a remote sftp site, the file has a space in the name (this can't be changed)

!/bin/bash
filename="$(echo "ls -tr" | sftp -i ~/.ssh/id_rsa username@host:/tmp/myfiles | tail -n 1)"
cmd="get /tmp/myfiles/$filename"
echo "'$cmd'" | sftp -i ~/.ssh/id_rsa username@host:/tmp/myfiles

I get the error

user on host ~/scripts in /home
14:32:45 » ./get_files.sh
Connected to host.
get /tmp/myfiles/User data_20230330_103101.csv
Connected to host.
Changing to: /tmp/myfiles
Invalid command.
sftp> 'get /tmp/myfiles/User data_20230330_103101.csv              '
File "get /tmp/myfiles/User data_20230330_103101.csv              " not found.

I can see it complains about whitespace after the filename, but can't figure out where this is coming from? I can log onto the sftp server and ls which shows the file is present, but not with the trailing whitespace that I can't find where it comes from.

Solution

  • You're quoting the wrong thing, and your filename variable has whitespace on the end.

    Change

    cmd="get /tmp/myfiles/$filename"

    to

    shopt -s extglob # note, this requires a *bash* script not a *sh* script
filename=${filename%%+([[:space:]])} # remove trailing spaces from filename
cmd="get '/tmp/myfiles/$filename'"

    and then change echo "'$cmd'" to echo "$cmd"