How to not diplay shell script lines running

**sectshun8** · January 24th, 2013

So I created a small bash script to consolidate some files across a couple different unix machines, what they are is irrelevant. Script works fine.

I have a batch file on a PC that remotely executes this script, again, no hiccups in the process. However in batch scripting, by running the script in null mode I can have the script only display specific lines of operation by ending that line of code with ">&2"

Is there a way in bash scripting to do the same? The consolidation script, runs through the multiple machines getting files and bringing them to a single location... but it outputs every single operation to the terminal.

I'd like it to ONLY display the line in the script that prompts for a an SFTP connection password, and that's it...

Possible?

**fdrake** · January 24th, 2013

Originally Posted by sectshun8

So I created a small bash script to consolidate some files across a couple different unix machines, what they are is irrelevant. Script works fine.

I have a batch file on a PC that remotely executes this script, again, no hiccups in the process. However in batch scripting, by running the script in null mode I can have the script only display specific lines of operation by ending that line of code with ">&2"

Is there a way in bash scripting to do the same? The consolidation script, runs through the multiple machines getting files and bringing them to a single location... but it outputs every single operation to the terminal.

I'd like it to ONLY display the line in the script that prompts for a an SFTP connection password, and that's it...

Possible?

Code:

./myscript.sh 1>/dev/null

**sectshun8** · January 24th, 2013

Thanks for that... the exact syntax did not work for me, but it put me in the right direction. Running it locally from the unix machine works exactly as I want... but now writing the command file for the PC batch file to execute this script remotely is going to be a pain.

Currently in the command file, I use the line to out to the command file

Code:

echo bash xf1.sh>>%xf%

Unfortunately, the following does not work with that. The ">" and "&" characters don't transfer very well..

Code:

echo bash xf1.sh > & null.txt>>%xf%

**sectshun8** · January 24th, 2013

Google is my friend, haha. batch scripting uses "^" as escape character... so the working code is:

Code:

echo bash xf1.sh ^> ^& null.txt>>%xf%

**sectshun8** · January 25th, 2013

The new script is working just as I hoped it would. However a couple of end users note that after the remote bash script prompts for the SFTP password, and it is entered, all that remains is a blinking cursor, with no way of telling if the program is running until the remote script finishes and the local script continues.

Is there a way in the bash script to single out a line to echo into the terminal to "Please wait, remotes script in progress..." even when the script is outputting to null, or in my case a temp text file?

As I stated earlier, I know in batch scripting, running the script in "null mode", you can override the null output by putting a >&2 at the end of the line, this will allow that given line of code to be displayed in the terminal regardless. Surely I can do this in bash?