How to execute two commands stored in one bash variable

Question

Let's say there is one bash variable

run1 = "date"

I need to execute dateon

$ {run1}

And it works as it prints the current time. But if I put two commands in a variable,

run2 = "date; echo foo"

I can’t execute the commands stored in the variable run2since it ${run2}complains

date ;: command not found

+5

Richard Aug 9 '12 at 17:47

2 answers

Give it a try eval "${run2}". This will interpret the variable as a sequence of commands to run.

+2

twalberg Aug 9 '12 at 17:55

favoretti · Accepted Answer · 2012-08-09T17:50:36+0000

Try:

eval ${run2}

This should help.