How to create alias that takes a positional argument in Linux bash?












4














Lets say I have a bash command with a couple of options and the variable that I am interested in (e.g. filename):



my_cmd option1 option2 filename


I created an alias:



alias my_cmd_12="my_cmd option1 option2"


this allows me to remove typing all of the options. However there are some flags coming after the variable I am interested (e.g. filename):



my_cmd option1 option2 filename --flag1


How do I create an alias that takes all option an flags:



my_alias filename is equivalent to



my_cmd option1 option2 filename --flag1






linux command-line bash







share|improve this question


















  • 2




    Same topic on cross-network sites:unix.stackexchange.com/q/3773/85039 , askubuntu.com/q/626458/295286 , stackoverflow.com/q/7131670/3701431
    – Sergiy Kolodyazhnyy
    11 hours ago
















4














Lets say I have a bash command with a couple of options and the variable that I am interested in (e.g. filename):



my_cmd option1 option2 filename


I created an alias:



alias my_cmd_12="my_cmd option1 option2"


this allows me to remove typing all of the options. However there are some flags coming after the variable I am interested (e.g. filename):



my_cmd option1 option2 filename --flag1


How do I create an alias that takes all option an flags:



my_alias filename is equivalent to



my_cmd option1 option2 filename --flag1






linux command-line bash







share|improve this question


















  • 2




    Same topic on cross-network sites:unix.stackexchange.com/q/3773/85039 , askubuntu.com/q/626458/295286 , stackoverflow.com/q/7131670/3701431
    – Sergiy Kolodyazhnyy
    11 hours ago














4












4








4







Lets say I have a bash command with a couple of options and the variable that I am interested in (e.g. filename):



my_cmd option1 option2 filename


I created an alias:



alias my_cmd_12="my_cmd option1 option2"


this allows me to remove typing all of the options. However there are some flags coming after the variable I am interested (e.g. filename):



my_cmd option1 option2 filename --flag1


How do I create an alias that takes all option an flags:



my_alias filename is equivalent to



my_cmd option1 option2 filename --flag1






linux command-line bash







share|improve this question













Lets say I have a bash command with a couple of options and the variable that I am interested in (e.g. filename):



my_cmd option1 option2 filename


I created an alias:



alias my_cmd_12="my_cmd option1 option2"


this allows me to remove typing all of the options. However there are some flags coming after the variable I am interested (e.g. filename):



my_cmd option1 option2 filename --flag1


How do I create an alias that takes all option an flags:



my_alias filename is equivalent to



my_cmd option1 option2 filename --flag1






linux command-line bash




linux command-line bash






share|improve this question













share|improve this question











share|improve this question




share|improve this question










asked 16 hours ago









motam79

1749




1749








  • 2




    Same topic on cross-network sites:unix.stackexchange.com/q/3773/85039 , askubuntu.com/q/626458/295286 , stackoverflow.com/q/7131670/3701431
    – Sergiy Kolodyazhnyy
    11 hours ago














  • 2




    Same topic on cross-network sites:unix.stackexchange.com/q/3773/85039 , askubuntu.com/q/626458/295286 , stackoverflow.com/q/7131670/3701431
    – Sergiy Kolodyazhnyy
    11 hours ago








2




2




Same topic on cross-network sites:unix.stackexchange.com/q/3773/85039 , askubuntu.com/q/626458/295286 , stackoverflow.com/q/7131670/3701431
– Sergiy Kolodyazhnyy
11 hours ago




Same topic on cross-network sites:unix.stackexchange.com/q/3773/85039 , askubuntu.com/q/626458/295286 , stackoverflow.com/q/7131670/3701431
– Sergiy Kolodyazhnyy
11 hours ago










1 Answer
1






active

oldest

votes


















9














You can't do this with alias. Alias works by replacing string with another string. With this alias defined



alias my_cmd_12="my_cmd option1 option2"


my_cmd_12 filename --flag1 will expand to



my_cmd option1 option2 filename --flag1


But you want to invoke my_alias filename to get the same result. There is no way to replace my_alias with another string so --flag1 appears at the end.



However a function should work:



my_function() { my_cmd option1 option2 "$1" --flag1; }


Note this is just a minimal solution tailored to your example. In general you can use more positional parameters or "$@", conditional statements etc., according to what exactly you need. Functions are way more flexible than aliases.



More information here: In Bash, when to alias, when to script, and when to write a function?






share|improve this answer





















  • For general "get to know bash better" - tldp.org -> guides -> look for "Bash", there are at least two that are worth the effort to read.
    – Hannu
    15 hours ago













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1 Answer
1






active

oldest

votes








1 Answer
1






active

oldest

votes









active

oldest

votes






active

oldest

votes









9














You can't do this with alias. Alias works by replacing string with another string. With this alias defined



alias my_cmd_12="my_cmd option1 option2"


my_cmd_12 filename --flag1 will expand to



my_cmd option1 option2 filename --flag1


But you want to invoke my_alias filename to get the same result. There is no way to replace my_alias with another string so --flag1 appears at the end.



However a function should work:



my_function() { my_cmd option1 option2 "$1" --flag1; }


Note this is just a minimal solution tailored to your example. In general you can use more positional parameters or "$@", conditional statements etc., according to what exactly you need. Functions are way more flexible than aliases.



More information here: In Bash, when to alias, when to script, and when to write a function?






share|improve this answer





















  • For general "get to know bash better" - tldp.org -> guides -> look for "Bash", there are at least two that are worth the effort to read.
    – Hannu
    15 hours ago


















9














You can't do this with alias. Alias works by replacing string with another string. With this alias defined



alias my_cmd_12="my_cmd option1 option2"


my_cmd_12 filename --flag1 will expand to



my_cmd option1 option2 filename --flag1


But you want to invoke my_alias filename to get the same result. There is no way to replace my_alias with another string so --flag1 appears at the end.



However a function should work:



my_function() { my_cmd option1 option2 "$1" --flag1; }


Note this is just a minimal solution tailored to your example. In general you can use more positional parameters or "$@", conditional statements etc., according to what exactly you need. Functions are way more flexible than aliases.



More information here: In Bash, when to alias, when to script, and when to write a function?






share|improve this answer





















  • For general "get to know bash better" - tldp.org -> guides -> look for "Bash", there are at least two that are worth the effort to read.
    – Hannu
    15 hours ago
















9












9








9






You can't do this with alias. Alias works by replacing string with another string. With this alias defined



alias my_cmd_12="my_cmd option1 option2"


my_cmd_12 filename --flag1 will expand to



my_cmd option1 option2 filename --flag1


But you want to invoke my_alias filename to get the same result. There is no way to replace my_alias with another string so --flag1 appears at the end.



However a function should work:



my_function() { my_cmd option1 option2 "$1" --flag1; }


Note this is just a minimal solution tailored to your example. In general you can use more positional parameters or "$@", conditional statements etc., according to what exactly you need. Functions are way more flexible than aliases.



More information here: In Bash, when to alias, when to script, and when to write a function?






share|improve this answer












You can't do this with alias. Alias works by replacing string with another string. With this alias defined



alias my_cmd_12="my_cmd option1 option2"


my_cmd_12 filename --flag1 will expand to



my_cmd option1 option2 filename --flag1


But you want to invoke my_alias filename to get the same result. There is no way to replace my_alias with another string so --flag1 appears at the end.



However a function should work:



my_function() { my_cmd option1 option2 "$1" --flag1; }


Note this is just a minimal solution tailored to your example. In general you can use more positional parameters or "$@", conditional statements etc., according to what exactly you need. Functions are way more flexible than aliases.



More information here: In Bash, when to alias, when to script, and when to write a function?







share|improve this answer












share|improve this answer



share|improve this answer










answered 15 hours ago









Kamil Maciorowski

23.7k155074




23.7k155074












  • For general "get to know bash better" - tldp.org -> guides -> look for "Bash", there are at least two that are worth the effort to read.
    – Hannu
    15 hours ago




















  • For general "get to know bash better" - tldp.org -> guides -> look for "Bash", there are at least two that are worth the effort to read.
    – Hannu
    15 hours ago


















For general "get to know bash better" - tldp.org -> guides -> look for "Bash", there are at least two that are worth the effort to read.
– Hannu
15 hours ago






For general "get to know bash better" - tldp.org -> guides -> look for "Bash", there are at least two that are worth the effort to read.
– Hannu
15 hours ago




















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