Re: [gentoo-user] bash date puzzle
On Mon, 14 Nov 2011 02:06:04 -0500, Philip Webb wrote: To convert a UNIX date to a human-readable version the command is : 556: ~ date -d @1321251520 Mon Nov 14 01:18:40 EST 2011 I would like to create a Bash alias or function to do this, but can't get the Bash syntax right: it keeps telling me date: the argument `1321251520' lacks a leading `+'; when using an option to specify date(s), any non-option argument must be a format string beginning with `+' Try `date --help' for more information. It is difficult to say what is wrong with your alias as you haven't shown it, but my guess is that is is introducing a space between the @ and the timestamp, which gives exactly the error you get. -- Neil Bothwick When companies ship Styrofoam, what do they pack it in? signature.asc Description: PGP signature
Re: [gentoo-user] bash date puzzle
On Mon, 14 Nov 2011 06:13:34 AM Philip Webb wrote: 14 Neil Bothwick wrote: On Mon, 14 Nov 2011 02:06:04 -0500, Philip Webb wrote: To convert a UNIX date to a human-readable version the command is : 556: ~ date -d @1321251520 Mon Nov 14 01:18:40 EST 2011 I would like to create a Bash alias or function to do this, but can't get the Bash syntax right: it keeps telling me date: the argument `1321251520' lacks a leading `+'; It is difficult to say what is wrong with your alias as you haven't shown it alias th='date -d @$1' was the first try, then adding '+' /or '\' to escape '+' or '@'. I also tried a function along similar lines. but my guess is that is is introducing a space between @ and the timestamp, which gives exactly the error you get. No, no spaces. Aliases don't take argument, you need a function for that. Turning on shell debugging shows what is happening $ set -x + set -x $ alias th='date -d @$1' + alias 'th=date -d @$1' $ th 1321251520 + date -d @ 1321251520 date: the argument `1321251520' lacks a leading `+'; when using an option to specify date(s), any non-option argument must be a format string beginning with `+' Try `date --help' for more information. Now set a value to $1 and see what happenes... $ set -- 'Ha Ha' + set -- 'Ha Ha' $ th 1321251520 + date -d @Ha Ha 1321251520 date: extra operand `1321251520' Try `date --help' for more information. $ set +x All the 'alias' process does is simple text substitution. -- Reverend Paul Colquhoun, ULC.http://andor.dropbear.id.au/~paulcol Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. Then, when you do, you'll be a mile away, and you'll have their shoes.
Re: [gentoo-user] bash date puzzle
On Mon, Nov 14, 2011 at 06:13:34AM -0500, Philip Webb wrote:
alias th='date -d @$1'
was the first try, then adding '+' /or '\' to escape '+' or '@'.
I also tried a function along similar lines.
That is not how you use alias.
What you want is to use a function. Replace the alias line by
function th { date -d @$1; }
in your bashrc you'l probably be ok.
W
--
Willie W. Wong ww...@math.princeton.edu
Data aequatione quotcunque fluentes quantitae involvente fluxiones invenire
et vice versa ~~~ I. Newton
Re: [gentoo-user] bash date puzzle
14 Neil Bothwick wrote: On Mon, 14 Nov 2011 02:06:04 -0500, Philip Webb wrote: To convert a UNIX date to a human-readable version the command is : 556: ~ date -d @1321251520 Mon Nov 14 01:18:40 EST 2011 I would like to create a Bash alias or function to do this, but can't get the Bash syntax right: it keeps telling me date: the argument `1321251520' lacks a leading `+'; It is difficult to say what is wrong with your alias as you haven't shown it alias th='date -d @$1' was the first try, then adding '+' /or '\' to escape '+' or '@'. I also tried a function along similar lines. but my guess is that is is introducing a space between @ and the timestamp, which gives exactly the error you get. No, no spaces. -- ,, SUPPORT ___//___, Philip Webb ELECTRIC /] [] [] [] [] []| Cities Centre, University of Toronto TRANSIT`-O--O---' purslowatchassdotutorontodotca
Re: [gentoo-user] bash date puzzle
On Mon, 14 Nov 2011 06:13:34 -0500, Philip Webb wrote: It is difficult to say what is wrong with your alias as you haven't shown it alias th='date -d @$1' was the first try, then adding '+' /or '\' to escape '+' or '@'. I also tried a function along similar lines. but my guess is that is is introducing a space between @ and the timestamp, which gives exactly the error you get. No, no spaces. You invoke it as 'alias argument', so there is a space between the alias and the argument and this space is included when the alias is expanded. Otherwise aliases like ll='ls -l' would not work as 'll /mnt' would be expanded to 'ls -l/mnt'. -- Neil Bothwick My brain's in gear, neutral's a gear ain't it? signature.asc Description: PGP signature
Re: [gentoo-user] bash date puzzle
14 Willie Wong wrote:
On Mon, Nov 14, 2011 at 06:13:34AM -0500, Philip Webb wrote:
alias th='date -d @$1'
That is not how you use alias.
What you want is to use a function. Replace the alias line by
function th { date -d @$1; }
in your bashrc you'l probably be ok.
That's what I thought I tried, but evidently not:
function th { date -d @$1 ; }
does indeed work (with a space before ';').
Thanks for the various replies.
--
,,
SUPPORT ___//___, Philip Webb
ELECTRIC /] [] [] [] [] []| Cities Centre, University of Toronto
TRANSIT`-O--O---' purslowatchassdotutorontodotca
Re: [gentoo-user] bash date puzzle
On 14 November 2011, at 07:06, Philip Webb wrote:
To convert a UNIX date to a human-readable version the command is :
556: ~ date -d @1321251520
Mon Nov 14 01:18:40 EST 2011
I would like to create a Bash alias or function to do this,
but can't get the Bash syntax right: it keeps telling me
date: the argument `1321251520' lacks a leading `+';
~ $ function foo {
date -d @$1
}
~ $ foo 1321251520
Mon Nov 14 06:18:40 GMT 2011
~ $
Copied and pasted literally from my terminal, which is why you see the PS2
continuation prompt on lines 2 3.
Stroller.
[gentoo-user] bash date puzzle
To convert a UNIX date to a human-readable version the command is : 556: ~ date -d @1321251520 Mon Nov 14 01:18:40 EST 2011 I would like to create a Bash alias or function to do this, but can't get the Bash syntax right: it keeps telling me date: the argument `1321251520' lacks a leading `+'; when using an option to specify date(s), any non-option argument must be a format string beginning with `+' Try `date --help' for more information. I can't find any explanation for the '@' in the CLI version nor do various attempts to insert '+', escape '\@' etc succeed. Can anyone suggest a way to do this ? -- ,, SUPPORT ___//___, Philip Webb ELECTRIC /] [] [] [] [] []| Cities Centre, University of Toronto TRANSIT`-O--O---' purslowatchassdotutorontodotca
