Configuration Information [Automatically generated, do not change]:
Machine: x86_64
OS: linux-gnu
Compiler: gcc
Compilation CFLAGS: -DPROGRAM='bash' -DCONF_HOSTTYPE='x86_64' -DCONF_OSTYPE='linux-gnu'
-DCONF_MACHTYPE='x86_64-redhat-linux-gnu' -DCONF_VENDOR='redhat' -DLOCALEDIR='/usr/share/locale' -DPACKAGE='bash'
-DSHELL -DHAVE_CONFIG_H -I. -I. -I./include -I./lib -D_GNU_SOURCE -DRECYCLES_PIDS
-DDEFAULT_PATH_VALUE='/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin' -O2 -g -pipe -Wall -Wp,-D_FORTIFY_SOURCE=2 -fexceptions
-fstack-protector-strong --param=ssp-buffer-size=4 -grecord-gcc-switches -m64 -mtune=generic
uname output: Linux psel702 3.10.0-327.10.1.el7.x86_64 #1 SMP Sat Jan 23
04:54:55 EST 2016 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
Machine Type: x86_64-redhat-linux-gnu
Bash Version: 4.2
Patch Level: 46
Release Status: release
Description:
If my path contains an env variable, instead of expanding the variable as
in pre 4.1 bash,
it escapes it by prepending a backslash.
After spending several hours searching the web for a fix, I find that this
is considered
a new feature as filename completion ideally shouldn't change what the user
types.
I suppose that would be a nice feature if it actually worked, but since the
4.2 implementation
does change the user input by prepending a backslash and doesn't do the
filename completion in some
cases like cd commands, it's just wasting the time of everyone who uses tab
completion
w/ env variables and wants to figure out why after working for nearly 20
years it's now broken.
Repeat-By:
Here's an example. I want to run $FOO/testApp/my_test_application so I type
% $FOO/testApp/my_test<TAB>
which is then replaced w/
% \$FOO/testApp/my_test_application
which won't run due to the prepended backslash.
Similarly,
% ls $FOO/testApp/my_test<TAB>
produces
% ls \$FOO/testApp/my_test_application
while
% cd $FOO/test<TAB>
doesn't work at all, leaving me w/
% cd $FOO/test
Fix:
Must set shopt direxpand, which since I work in an environment w/ a wide
variety
of RHEL5, RHEL6, and RHEL7 machines supported by our IT group means I
either need
to convince them to update all RHEL7 machines w/ a custom version of bash
4.3.30 or greater
compiled w/ --enable-direxpand-default (nearly impossible in a big
organization like ours)
or add the following in my .bash_profile since direxpand isn't supported
prior to bash 4.2.
# Fix annoying feature in bash 4.2 that stops expanding env vars during file
completion
if ((BASH_VERSINFO[0] >= 5)) || ((BASH_VERSINFO[0] == 4)) && ((BASH_VERSINFO[1]
>= 2))
then shopt -s direxpand
fi
It's really annoying to have to set a new option in order to disable a new
feature that
doesn't work properly.
--
Bruce Hill
Member Technical Staff
SLAC National Accelerator Lab
2575 Sand Hill Road M/S 10
Menlo Park, CA 94025
