# Shell script with arguments within perl script **URL:** \ **Category:** Ruby\ **Created:** [May 2, 2007, 10:22pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/shell-script-with-arguments-within-perl-script/103205 "2007-05-02T22:22:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jay](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/ed8c4c/32.png) [@jay](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/jay)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2007, 10:22pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/shell-script-with-arguments-within-perl-script/103205/1 "2007-05-02T22:22:53Z")
Hi! I wanted to run the system command with in Perl script to execute shell script with argument. I need to know the correct syntax for the arguments. Ex.) #/opt/bin/perl system(“shellscript.sh” , ); I am getting syntax error. If i get rid of the arg1-3 then the shell script runs just fine. thanks. ---
**Author:** ![jay](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/ed8c4c/32.png) [@jay](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/jay)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2007, 10:29pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/shell-script-with-arguments-within-perl-script/103205/2 "2007-05-02T22:29:18Z")
In message [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid), jay writes: > Hi! I wanted to run the system command with in Perl script to execute > shell script with argument. I need to know the correct syntax for the > arguments. Hmm. I know it’s easy to mistake perl for ruby, what with both of them being sorta newfangled computer stuff, but… > #/opt/bin/perl > > system(“shellscript.sh” , ); > > I am getting syntax error. If i get rid of the arg1-3 then the shell > script runs just fine. Well, yes. And if this were a perl list, you may rest assured I’d tell you how to expand @ARGV for your purposes. -s ---
**Author:** ![jay](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/ed8c4c/32.png) [@jay](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/jay)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2007, 10:54pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/shell-script-with-arguments-within-perl-script/103205/3 "2007-05-02T22:54:20Z")
On May 3, 2007, at 5:22 AM, jay wrote: > script runs just fine. > > thanks. > > – > Posted via [http://www.ruby-forum.com/](http://www.ruby-forum.com/). in Ruby: system( command, arg, arg, arg) Returns true if command runs successfully, false otherwise. There is also: exec( command, arg, arg, arg) Exact behavior is platform dependent. One might presume that since Ruby borrows a fair amount from Perl, that there may be something similar going on. ---
**Author:** ![jay](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/ed8c4c/32.png) [@jay](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/jay)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2007, 11:31pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/shell-script-with-arguments-within-perl-script/103205/4 "2007-05-02T23:31:23Z")
On Thu, May 03, 2007 at 05:22:54AM +0900, jay wrote: > script runs just fine. > Are you using commas exactly as shown? If so, that’s probably the > problem. Try this instead: system(“foo.sh”, “bar”, “baz”, “qux”); . . . where bar, baz, and qux are your arguments. You could also simply do something like one of the following: system(“foo.sh bar baz qux”); my $foo = “foo.sh”; my @args = qw(bar baz qux"); system("$foo @args"); my @command\_and\_args = qw(foo.sh bar baz qux); system("@command\_and\_args"); In each case, assuming the use of system() is the only thing on that line of the program, the parentheses are optional. You _are_ using the strict and warnings pragmas – right? You should always include the following two lines at the beginning of any Perl script while working on it to help with debugging and good programming practice: use strict; use warnings; You should also make use of perldoc, which should be installed on your system. With the -f option, the perldoc command can be used to look up information about a specific function. In this case, you can learn more about how system() works with the following commmand, for instance: perldoc -f system I hope that helps. ---
**Author:** ![jay](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/ed8c4c/32.png) [@jay](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/jay)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2007, 11:33pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/shell-script-with-arguments-within-perl-script/103205/5 "2007-05-02T23:33:23Z")
On Thu, May 03, 2007 at 05:22:54AM +0900, jay wrote: > Hi! I wanted to run the system command with in Perl script to execute > shell script with argument. I need to know the correct syntax for the > arguments. Oh, one other thing – you’re asking this of a Ruby community, not a Perl community. Since this was apparently posted via the forum, rather than the mailing list or newsgroup, I suspect what you actually want is the PerlMonks website: [http://www.perlmonks.org](http://www.perlmonks.org) ---
**Author:** ![jay](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/ed8c4c/32.png) [@jay](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/jay)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2007, 6:59am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/shell-script-with-arguments-within-perl-script/103205/6 "2007-05-03T06:59:53Z")
On May 3, 2007, at 6:31 AM, Chad P. wrote: > [http://www.perlmonks.org](http://www.perlmonks.org) > > – > CCD CopyWrite Chad P. [[http://ccd.apotheon.org](http://ccd.apotheon.org) ] > Brian K. Reid: “In computer science, we stand on each other’s feet.” [www.perlmonks.org](http://www.perlmonks.org) indeed! Good place for good Perl. ---
**Author:** ![jay](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/ed8c4c/32.png) [@jay](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/jay)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2007, 6:49am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/shell-script-with-arguments-within-perl-script/103205/7 "2007-05-03T06:49:52Z")
On 5/2/07, Chad P. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: When there are people behaving strangly in nice restaurants one can suspect that they are Critics (sp?) from Michelin or whatever Guide(1). Chad I guess you just got us our first “Toque” 😉 Cheers Robert (1) Although that is probably never the case. ---
**Author:** ![jay](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/ed8c4c/32.png) [@jay](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/jay)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2007, 10:57am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/shell-script-with-arguments-within-perl-script/103205/8 "2007-05-03T10:57:27Z")
On Thu, May 03, 2007 at 05:47:56PM +0900, Chad P. wrote: > > (1) Although that is probably never the case. > > Uh, what? What does a hat have to do with this? > > I think you lost me. Never mind. I get it – the purpose of the metaphor just slipped by me for a moment there. Thanks for the compliment. ---
**Author:** ![jay](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/ed8c4c/32.png) [@jay](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/jay)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2007, 10:48am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/shell-script-with-arguments-within-perl-script/103205/9 "2007-05-03T10:48:26Z")
On Thu, May 03, 2007 at 01:49:16PM +0900, Robert D. wrote: > On 5/2/07, Chad P. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > When there are people behaving strangly in nice restaurants one can > suspect that they are Critics (sp?) from Michelin or whatever > Guide(1). > Chad I guess you just got us our first “Toque” 😉 > > Cheers > Robert > > (1) Although that is probably never the case. Uh, what? What does a hat have to do with this? I think you lost me.