[SGVLUG] Shell quoting

[Matt Campbell]

Hi Dan,

Trying to run a SQL statement on my web server reqmotely.  The SQL engine is
protected to localhost only so I have to ssh to the host to run the SQL.

I am trying to write a generic execute function for future project.  I don't
want to assume what the default shell is locally or remotely.

The whole command that does not work is:
'ssh -l<user> \'<isp shell host> mysql -u<database user> <database name> -p
<database password> -h <isp sql host> \\\'ALTER TABLE \\\`Layouts\\\` ORDER
BY \\\`Date\\\`;\\\'\' '

I have played with a couple dozen versions of quoting the quotes to no
avail.  I do not want to mix quotes (which works) as I need to be able to
programmatically quote all types of quotes in the arbitrary command passed
to this function.

Thanks for looking at it!

Matt


> -----Original Message-----
> From: sgvlug-bounces at sgvlug.net [mailto:sgvlug-bounces at sgvlug.net] On
> Behalf Of Dan Kegel
> Sent: Monday, April 19, 2010 9:38 AM
> To: SGVLUG Discussion List.
> Subject: Re: [SGVLUG] Shell quoting
> 
> On Mon, Apr 19, 2010 at 9:29 AM, Matt Campbell <dvdmatt at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> > Wow.  And I thought I knew my shell cold.
> >
> > Does anyone know the logic why this does not work?
> >
> >     matt at scar:166% bash -c 'echo \'ALTER TABLE\' '
> >
> >     Unmatched '.
> >
> > And how this is actually parsed?
> >
> >     matt at scar:144% bash -c echo 'ALTER TABLE `Components`'
> >
> >     (returns a blank line)
> 
> What are you trying to do?  i.e. what do you want to appear in the
> final output?
> I guess you're generating a shell script that will generate SQL?
> 
> - Dan