Bash alias to backup folder to tar.gz

Question

alias backupfolder='tar -zcvf $1_$(date '+%Y-%m-%d').tar.gz $1'

This alias creates the tar archive, but the naming is just __YYYY-MM-DD.tar.gz. I'm trying to get folder__YYYY-MM-DD.tar.gz.

Do i need some special symbols in the $1 before _?

The immediate problem is that `1_` is a valid parameter name; use `${1}_$(...)` to prevent `_` from being treated as part of the parameter expansion. — chepner, Nov 13 '18 at 17:08
You *could* use `$1\_`, but `${1}_` is clearer and less susceptible to poor quoting. — Paul Hodges, Nov 13 '18 at 17:37
Actually both $1\\_ and ${1} didnt take the parameter. so filename was _YYYY-MM-DD.tar.gz — oppsig, Nov 14 '18 at 02:21

score 3 · Answer 1 · edited Nov 13 '18 at 17:07

3

Use a function.

backupfolder() { tar -zcvf "${1}_$(date '+%Y-%m-%d').tar.gz" "$1"; }

or a script in your path.

edited Nov 13 '18 at 17:07

chepner

answered Nov 13 '18 at 17:04

Paul Hodges

Went back to edit and had connection issues. Thanks to chepner for adding my curlies and quotes. :) – Paul Hodges Nov 13 '18 at 17:09

1 Answers1