Bash script function call error - linux

Question

I am writing my first Bash script and am running into a syntax issue with a function call.
Specifically, I want to invoke my script like so:
sh myscript.sh -d=<abc>
Where <abc> is the name of a specific directory inside of a fixed parent directory (~/app/dropzone). If the child <abc> directory doesn't exist, I want the script to create it before going to that directory. If the user doesn't invoke the script with a -d argument at all, I want the script to exist with a simple usage message. Here's my best attempt at the script so far:
#!/bin/bash
dropzone="~/app/dropzone"
# If the directory the script user specified exists, overwrite dropzone value with full path
# to directory. If the directory doesn't exist, first create it. If user failed to specify
# -d=<someDirName>, exit the script with a usage statement.
validate_args() {
args=$(getopt d: "$*")
set -- $args
dir=$2
if [ "$dir" ]
then
if [ ! -d "${dropzone}/targets/$dir" ]
then
mkdir ${dropzone}/targets/$dir
fi
dropzone=${dropzone}/targets/$dir
else
usage
fi
}
usage() {
echo "Usage: $0" >&2
exit 1
}
# Validate script arguments.
validate_args $1
# Go to the dropzone directory.
cd dropzone
echo "Arrived at dropzone $dropzone."
# The script will now do other stuff, now that we're in the "dropzone".
# ...etc.
When I try running this I get the following error:
myUser#myMachine:~/app/scripts$ sh myscript.sh -dyoyo
mkdir: cannot create directory `/home/myUser/app/dropzone/targets/yoyo': No such file or directory
myscript.sh: 33: cd: can't cd to dropzone
Arrived at dropzone /home/myUser/app/dropzone/targets/yoyo.
Where am I going wrong, and is my general approach even correct? Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

Move the function definitions to the top of the script (below the hash-bang). bash is objecting to the undefined (at that point) call to validate_args. usage definition should precede the definition of validate_args.
There also should be spacing in the if tests "[ " and " ]".
if [ -d "$dropzone/targets/$1" ]
The getopt test for option d should be-:
if [ "$(getopt d "$1")" ]
Here is a version of validate_args that works for me.
I also had to change the drop zone as on my shell ~ wouldn't expand in mkdir command.
dropzone="/home/suspectus/app/dropzone"
validate_args() {
args=$(getopt d: "$*")
set -- $args
dir=$2
if [ "$dir" ]
then
if [ ! -d "${dropzone}/targets/$dir" ]
then
mkdir ${dropzone}/targets/$dir
fi
dropzone=${dropzone}/targets/$dir
else
usage
fi
}
To pass in all args use $* as parameter -:
validate_args $*
And finally call the script like this for getopt to parse correctly-:
myscript.sh -d dir_name

Answer 2

When invoked, a function is indistinguishable from a command — so you don't use parentheses:
validate_args($1) # Wrong
validate_args $1 # Right
Additionally, as suspectus points out in his answer, functions must be defined before they are invoked. You can see this with the script:
usage
usage()
{
echo "Usage: $0" >&2
exit 1
}
which will report usage: command not found assuming you don't have a command or function called usage available. Place the invocation after the function definition and it will work fine.
Your chosen interface is not the standard Unix calling convention for commands. You'd normally use:
dropzone -d subdir
rather than
dropzone -d=subdir
However, we can handle your chosen interface (but not using getopts, the built-in command interpreter, and maybe not using GNU getopt either, and certainly not using getopt as you tried to do so). Here's workable code supporting -d=subdir:
#!/bin/bash
dropzone="$HOME/app/dropzone/targets"
validate_args()
{
case "$1" in
(-d=*) dropzone="$dropzone/${1#-d=}"; mkdir -p $dropzone;;
(*) usage;;
esac
}
usage()
{
echo "Usage: $0 -d=dropzone" >&2
exit 1
}
# Validate script arguments.
validate_args $1
# Go to the dropzone directory.
cd $dropzone || exit 1
echo "Arrived at dropzone $dropzone."
# The script will now do other stuff, now that we're in the "dropzone".
# ...etc.
Note the cautious approach with the cd $dropzone || exit 1; if the cd fails, you definitely do not want to continue in the wrong directory.
Using the getopts built-in command interpreter:
#!/bin/bash
dropzone="$HOME/app/dropzone/targets"
usage()
{
echo "Usage: $0 -d dropzone" >&2
exit 1
}
while getopts d: opt
do
case "$opt" in
(d) dropzone="$dropzone/$OPTARG"; mkdir -p $dropzone;;
(*) usage;;
esac
done
shift $(($OPTIND - 1))
# Go to the dropzone directory.
cd $dropzone || exit 1
echo "Arrived at dropzone $dropzone."
# The script will now do other stuff, now that we're in the "dropzone".
# ...etc.