Configuration Information [Automatically generated, do not change]:
Machine: i686
OS: linux-gnu
Compiler: i686-pc-linux-gnu-gcc
Compilation CFLAGS: -DPROGRAM='bash' -DCONF_HOSTTYPE='i686'
-DCONF_OSTYPE='linux-gnu' -DCONF_MACHTYPE='i686-pc-linux-gnu'
-DCONF_VENDOR='pc' -DLOCALEDIR='/usr/share/locale' -DPACKAGE='bash' -DSHELL
-DHAVE_CONFIG_H -I. -I. -I./include -I./lib -msse3 -O2 -march=athlon64
-pipe
uname output: Linux strythbox 2.6.24.3 #2 Thu Mar 13 10:21:15 EDT 2008 i686 AMD
Athlon(tm) 64 Processor 3800+ AuthenticAMD GNU/Linux
Machine Type: i686-pc-linux-gnu
Bash Version: 3.2
Patch Level: 39
Release Status: release
Description:
the gnu bash manual indicates:
"The syntax of the case command is:
case word in [ [(] pattern [| pattern]...) command-list ;;]... esac"
and further that:
"Each pattern undergoes tilde expansion, parameter expansion, command
substitution, and arithmetic expansion."
While command substitution and parameter expansion occur, the resulting
strings are not parsed in a fashion consistent with the normal behavior.
Take, for example, the string "1|2". when used in the form case 2 in \
1|2) ... the function execute_case_command, in the strmatch line. This line is
executed twice, once being a strmatch (2,1) and the other being strmatch (2,2).
Obviously the 2,2 is the match.
On the other hand, when a variable VAR='1|2' is used (case 2 in $var
... ) the comparison performed is strmatch (2,1|2) which fails. 1|2 is never
broken into its components.
Repeat-By:
#! /bin/bash
VAR='1|2'
echo test is 'case 2 in $VAR=1|2'
case 2 in
$VAR) echo good ;;
*) echo fail ;;
esac
echo
echo test is 'case 2 in 1|2'
case 2 in
1|2) echo good ;;
*) echo fail ;;
esac
echo
VAR='2'
echo test is 'case 2 in $VAR=2'
case 2 in
$VAR) echo good ;;
*) echo fail ;;
esac
echo
echo test is 'case 2 in 2'
case 2 in
2) echo good ;;
*) echo fail ;;
esac
echo
echo test is "case 2 in \`echo '1|2'\`"
case 2 in
`echo '1|2'`) echo good ;;
*) echo fail ;;
esac
echo
echo test is 'case 2 in 1|2'
case 2 in
1|2) echo good ;;
*) echo fail ;;
esac
