On Fri, 04 Mar 2005 16:47:01 -0800, Patrick wrote:
> [code]
> ../binutils-2.15.91.0.2/configure --prefix=/tools \
> --disable-nls
> [/code]
>
> it says to do that, but.. does the "\" after the --prefix=/tools mean
> anything, or matter, or is it just because the PDF had to fit the
> command in 2 lines or someting...
You're assuming quite right. It's also known as 'shell magic' :-)
Some characters have special meanings to the bash. Those are e.g. * ? < >
| ' " ` ( ) [ ] { } $ \ ; and also the space-, tab-, and linefeed
character. Linefeed and semicolon are interpreted as 'end of command'.
Putting a character string in quotes though removes the special meaning of
some of those special characters. Quoting is done with the singel quote
', the double quote ", or the backslash \. The backslash's special
meaning is: 'quote just the one character immediately following'.
So when you put a backslash at the very end of a command line, you are in
fact quoting the linefeed character, so it no longer means 'end of
command' but remains only 'some more whitespace'.
Using backslash characters at line ends is the common way to make long
command lines more readable.
Read 'man bash', esp. the paragraphs 'DEFINITIONS' and 'QUOTING'.
Joern
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