Bash Restrict parent script command line arguments carry forward to child scripts arguments

Question

We have parent bash script

parent_source.bash

#!/bin/bash



source child_test.bash

Inside the child_test.bash

echo $@ 

#Doing some validation checks for $@, for child_script command line arguments are optional

Where as when executing

 source parent_source.bash one two

The child script is taking "one" and "two" in the $@ so validation is failing, It is not considering as zero arguments given to child script. Child script assuming it got 2 command line arguments.

But if we give command line args for child also It is working fine.

Could Someone please help us

Thanks

Recommended for you: Get network issues from WhatsUp Gold. Not end users.

Answer 1

When executing the source command, you actually injecting the content of child_test.bash to your parent_source.bash script, and then, when the first line in the child_test.bash is being executed, ie:

echo $@

It actually refers to the arguments passed to the parent script since the scope of the command is actually on the parent_source.bash script.

I suggest to execute the script without injecting the content to the parent script.

Something like this:

parent_source.bash:

#!/bin/bash

./child_test.bash

child_test.bash:

echo $@ 
#Doing some validation checks for $@, for child_script command line arguments are optional

Bash Restrict parent script command line arguments carry forward to child scripts arguments

Sign up