Bash Script store cat output in variable and then echo it

Question

I am trying to store a cat output into a variable and then trying to echo it. and then I would like to kill the process.

#!/bin/bash

var = $(cat tmp/pids/unicorn.pid)

echo $var
sudo kill -QUIT $var

Please if anyone can tell where I am going wrong

Don't put space around `=`. It should be `var=$(cat tmp/pids/unicorn.pid)`. Also provide valid path. — sat, Oct 22 '16 at 13:32
@sat `tmp/pids/unicorn.pid` *is* a valid path; it might not be the right path, but that isn't relevant to this question. — chepner, Oct 22 '16 at 13:57

score 29 · Accepted Answer · answered Oct 22 '16 at 13:32

29

Variable assignments in bash should not have any spaces before or after the equal sign. It should be like this:

#!/bin/bash
var=$(cat tmp/pids/unicorn.pid)
echo "$var"

Which can be written more idiomatically as

#!/bin/bash
var=$(< tmp/pids/unicorn.pid)
echo "$var"

answered Oct 22 '16 at 13:32

user000001

6

+1 This saved my day: "Variable assignments in bash should not have any spaces before or after the equal sign" – Hem Nov 27 '18 at 18:00

1 Answers1