Open file descriptor in Bash in overwrite mode












1















I'm opening additional file descriptors in my Bash script with



Reproducer="reproducer.sh"
exec 3<> $Reproducer


This can then be used with e.g. echo



echo "#! /bin/bash" >&3
echo "echo This is a reproducer script." >&3


Source: How do file descriptors work?



As I noticed after lots of tries, the opened file overwrites existing content in the file. If the new content is larger, it will expand the file, but if the new content has less bytes, the old content will remain at the end of the file.



This creates a broken script in my case, because I'm writing a Bash script.



Is there an option to the exec 3<> file statement to truncate the file while opening?





Alternative solutions:




  • delete the file before opening with rm $Reproducer.










share|improve this question



























    1















    I'm opening additional file descriptors in my Bash script with



    Reproducer="reproducer.sh"
    exec 3<> $Reproducer


    This can then be used with e.g. echo



    echo "#! /bin/bash" >&3
    echo "echo This is a reproducer script." >&3


    Source: How do file descriptors work?



    As I noticed after lots of tries, the opened file overwrites existing content in the file. If the new content is larger, it will expand the file, but if the new content has less bytes, the old content will remain at the end of the file.



    This creates a broken script in my case, because I'm writing a Bash script.



    Is there an option to the exec 3<> file statement to truncate the file while opening?





    Alternative solutions:




    • delete the file before opening with rm $Reproducer.










    share|improve this question

























      1












      1








      1








      I'm opening additional file descriptors in my Bash script with



      Reproducer="reproducer.sh"
      exec 3<> $Reproducer


      This can then be used with e.g. echo



      echo "#! /bin/bash" >&3
      echo "echo This is a reproducer script." >&3


      Source: How do file descriptors work?



      As I noticed after lots of tries, the opened file overwrites existing content in the file. If the new content is larger, it will expand the file, but if the new content has less bytes, the old content will remain at the end of the file.



      This creates a broken script in my case, because I'm writing a Bash script.



      Is there an option to the exec 3<> file statement to truncate the file while opening?





      Alternative solutions:




      • delete the file before opening with rm $Reproducer.










      share|improve this question














      I'm opening additional file descriptors in my Bash script with



      Reproducer="reproducer.sh"
      exec 3<> $Reproducer


      This can then be used with e.g. echo



      echo "#! /bin/bash" >&3
      echo "echo This is a reproducer script." >&3


      Source: How do file descriptors work?



      As I noticed after lots of tries, the opened file overwrites existing content in the file. If the new content is larger, it will expand the file, but if the new content has less bytes, the old content will remain at the end of the file.



      This creates a broken script in my case, because I'm writing a Bash script.



      Is there an option to the exec 3<> file statement to truncate the file while opening?





      Alternative solutions:




      • delete the file before opening with rm $Reproducer.







      bash file-io truncate






      share|improve this question













      share|improve this question











      share|improve this question




      share|improve this question










      asked Nov 25 '18 at 1:11









      PaebbelsPaebbels

      7,43983477




      7,43983477
























          2 Answers
          2






          active

          oldest

          votes


















          1














          One of the things you can do is to create a temp file and replace the old with this one.



          exec 3<>/tmp/script
          printf "%sn" "#!/bin/bash" >&3
          printf "%sn" "printf "This is a reproducer script.n"" >&3
          exec 3>&-
          mv /tmp/script "${Reproducer}"


          You will achieve two things:




          • Your new script will not have any junk left at the end;

          • If the process fails before finish, you will not delete your previous script and you are still able to recover your partially created file.






          share|improve this answer































            0














            exec 3>$Reproducer


            Should work unless you need to read the file. in that case:



            exec 3>$Reproducer 4<$Reproducer


            and you read from file descriptor 4.






            share|improve this answer
























            • The file descriptor is used write-only.

              – Paebbels
              Nov 25 '18 at 2:21











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            2 Answers
            2






            active

            oldest

            votes








            2 Answers
            2






            active

            oldest

            votes









            active

            oldest

            votes






            active

            oldest

            votes









            1














            One of the things you can do is to create a temp file and replace the old with this one.



            exec 3<>/tmp/script
            printf "%sn" "#!/bin/bash" >&3
            printf "%sn" "printf "This is a reproducer script.n"" >&3
            exec 3>&-
            mv /tmp/script "${Reproducer}"


            You will achieve two things:




            • Your new script will not have any junk left at the end;

            • If the process fails before finish, you will not delete your previous script and you are still able to recover your partially created file.






            share|improve this answer




























              1














              One of the things you can do is to create a temp file and replace the old with this one.



              exec 3<>/tmp/script
              printf "%sn" "#!/bin/bash" >&3
              printf "%sn" "printf "This is a reproducer script.n"" >&3
              exec 3>&-
              mv /tmp/script "${Reproducer}"


              You will achieve two things:




              • Your new script will not have any junk left at the end;

              • If the process fails before finish, you will not delete your previous script and you are still able to recover your partially created file.






              share|improve this answer


























                1












                1








                1







                One of the things you can do is to create a temp file and replace the old with this one.



                exec 3<>/tmp/script
                printf "%sn" "#!/bin/bash" >&3
                printf "%sn" "printf "This is a reproducer script.n"" >&3
                exec 3>&-
                mv /tmp/script "${Reproducer}"


                You will achieve two things:




                • Your new script will not have any junk left at the end;

                • If the process fails before finish, you will not delete your previous script and you are still able to recover your partially created file.






                share|improve this answer













                One of the things you can do is to create a temp file and replace the old with this one.



                exec 3<>/tmp/script
                printf "%sn" "#!/bin/bash" >&3
                printf "%sn" "printf "This is a reproducer script.n"" >&3
                exec 3>&-
                mv /tmp/script "${Reproducer}"


                You will achieve two things:




                • Your new script will not have any junk left at the end;

                • If the process fails before finish, you will not delete your previous script and you are still able to recover your partially created file.







                share|improve this answer












                share|improve this answer



                share|improve this answer










                answered Nov 25 '18 at 12:27









                ingroxdingroxd

                5881524




                5881524

























                    0














                    exec 3>$Reproducer


                    Should work unless you need to read the file. in that case:



                    exec 3>$Reproducer 4<$Reproducer


                    and you read from file descriptor 4.






                    share|improve this answer
























                    • The file descriptor is used write-only.

                      – Paebbels
                      Nov 25 '18 at 2:21
















                    0














                    exec 3>$Reproducer


                    Should work unless you need to read the file. in that case:



                    exec 3>$Reproducer 4<$Reproducer


                    and you read from file descriptor 4.






                    share|improve this answer
























                    • The file descriptor is used write-only.

                      – Paebbels
                      Nov 25 '18 at 2:21














                    0












                    0








                    0







                    exec 3>$Reproducer


                    Should work unless you need to read the file. in that case:



                    exec 3>$Reproducer 4<$Reproducer


                    and you read from file descriptor 4.






                    share|improve this answer













                    exec 3>$Reproducer


                    Should work unless you need to read the file. in that case:



                    exec 3>$Reproducer 4<$Reproducer


                    and you read from file descriptor 4.







                    share|improve this answer












                    share|improve this answer



                    share|improve this answer










                    answered Nov 25 '18 at 2:15









                    rootroot

                    1




                    1













                    • The file descriptor is used write-only.

                      – Paebbels
                      Nov 25 '18 at 2:21



















                    • The file descriptor is used write-only.

                      – Paebbels
                      Nov 25 '18 at 2:21

















                    The file descriptor is used write-only.

                    – Paebbels
                    Nov 25 '18 at 2:21





                    The file descriptor is used write-only.

                    – Paebbels
                    Nov 25 '18 at 2:21


















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