[SOLVED] Bash command exit status

[humbletech99]

When I do

Code: Select all

somecommand | head -n 2

$? is always the exit status of the "head" command rather than that of "somecommand"

Is there a way to do this and to test the exit status of "somecommand" rather than "head" (which will always be success even if somecommand fails) ?

[Genone]

Code: Select all

foo="$(somecommand)"
rval=$?
echo $foo | head -n 2

[humbletech99]

this doesn't work properly because the output's lines are crushed into a single line when assigned to the variable foo so you can't "head" it later...

[GordSki]

This works, needs the double quotes round $foo in the echo:

Code: Select all

foo="$(somecommand)"
rval=$?
echo "$foo" | head -n 2

G.

[humbletech99]

you're right, so it does!

those double quotes round the variable reference with the echo make all the difference.

thanks!

[mv]

When I do

Code: Select all

somecommand | head -n 2

$? is always the exit status of the "head" command rather than that of "somecommand"

Is there a way to do this and to test the exit status of "somecommand" rather than "head" (which will always be success even if somecommand fails) ?

PIPESTATUS[0] (see man bash)