pass a variable or string to shell command from perl script

thadc has asked for the wisdom of the Perl Monks concerning the following question:

Replies are listed 'Best First'.
Re: pass a variable or string to shell command from perl script (updated) by haukex (Archbishop) on Dec 27, 2017 at 19:05 UTC
First of all, marto is right that you don't need to call an external command for this, there is mkdir, and also `make_path` from the core module File::Path (Update: which can do the equivalent of `mkdir -p`). For proper handling of filenames, see the core module File::Spec, or, with a nicer interface, Path::Class from CPAN. `use File::Spec::Functions qw/catdir/; use File::Path qw/make_path/; make_path(catdir('folderA','folderB','folderC')); # Update 2: OR: use Path::Class qw/dir/; dir('folderA','folderB','folderC')->mkpath;` [download] Only for the sake of completeness: I wrote about different ways to call external commmands (safely) at length here.	[reply] [d/l] [select]
Re^2: pass a variable or string to shell command from perl script (updated) by thadc (Novice) on Dec 28, 2017 at 16:54 UTC
Thank you. Perl mkdir function definitely the way to go. Working like a charm!	[reply]
Re: pass a variable or string to shell command from perl script by marto (Cardinal) on Dec 27, 2017 at 18:39 UTC
Is there a reason not to use mkdir?	[reply]
Re: pass a variable or string to shell command from perl script by Laurent_R (Canon) on Dec 27, 2017 at 21:33 UTC
Just as my fellow monks before, I would really recommend to use the Perl mkdir internal command. However, just to complete the answer to your question, you can very well pass a Perl variable to a backtick command line (or `qx//` or `system` command). By the way, here, system would probably be better than backticks (or `qx//`) because you don't want to retrieve any output from the system command you're issuing, but you're probably interested (and should be) to know if the command succeeded or returned an error. Having said that, and repeating once again, I would very much recommend to use the Perl mkdir internal command (or some of the modules recommended earlier by haukex).	[reply] [d/l] [select]
Re^2: pass a variable or string to shell command from perl script by afoken (Chancellor) on Dec 28, 2017 at 10:42 UTC
system would probably be better than backticks (or qx//) because you don't want to retrieve any output from the system command you're issuing, but you're probably interested (and should be) to know if the command succeeded or returned an error. See also The problem of "the" default shell for why you want the multi-argument form of system if you can't use a perl build-in function or a module. Alexander -- Today I will gladly share my knowledge and experience, for there are no sweeter words than "I told you so". ;-)	[reply]
Re: pass a variable or string to shell command from perl script by karlgoethebier (Abbot) on Dec 28, 2017 at 18:24 UTC
"...the shell command..." TMTOWTDI without shell out: `karls-mac-mini:playground karl$ mkdir 1206287 karls-mac-mini:playground karl$ cd 1206287/ perl -MPath::Tiny -E 'path(q(folderA/folderB/folderC))->mkpath;' karls-mac-mini:1206287 karl$ find . -type d . ./folderA ./folderA/folderB ./folderA/folderB/folderC` [download] If this is what you want. See also Path::Tiny. Best regards, Karl ŤThe Crux of the Biscuit is the Apostropheť `perl -MCrypt::CBC -E 'say Crypt::CBC->new(-key=>'kgb',-cipher=>"Blowfish")->decrypt_hex($ENV{KARL});'`Help	[reply] [d/l] [select]