Bash using --- (triple dash) at start of format string for printf

Question

I have a stored string "--- RE%d ---\n" in a format variable for printf, but when I use it like:

format="--- RE%d ---\n" printf $format 1

printf treats -- like I want to use some option. When I put anything before ---, it works fine. Is there a way to make printf to print just: --- RE1 ---? I was using \r as 1st character, but it is shown at script output as ^H.

glenn jackman · Accepted Answer · 2015-11-29 12:59:48Z

7

Add --:

format="--- RE%d ---\n" printf -- "$format" 1

Use -- to signify the end of the options.

edited Nov 29, 2015 at 12:59

glenn jackman

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answered Nov 28, 2015 at 23:41

Cyrus

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1 Comment

Jonathan Leffler Over a year ago

Shouldn't that be printf -- "$format" 1? Or does Bash manage to treat it as a built-in command with special handling for string arguments?

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