Hi, ToddAndMargo wrote: > > $ watch -n 2 "ls -al /lin-bak | grep -i OurStuff.tar | awk '{print $9, $5}'" > > watch: failed to parse argument: 'ls -al /lin-bak | grep -i OurStuff.tar | > > awk '{print , }'': Invalid argument The problem is that the '-quotes, $9 and $5 are in "-quotes. The '-quotes are thus ignored and $9,$5 are evaluated already by the shell parser which analyses the arguments of "watch". Their value is empty when interpreted as shell parameters. Actually they are meant to be arguments for awk, not shell variables. Ed Greshko wrote: > watch -n 2 "ls -al /tmp | grep -i OurStuff.tar | awk '{print \$9, \$5}'" Indeed, this keeps the shell from interpreting the $-signs. Personally, i prefer closing the "-quotes and opening '-quotes for the words which begin by literal $-signs. When done with the dollars, i end '-quotation and begin "-quotation again: watch -n 2 "ls -al /tmp | grep -i OurStuff.tar | awk '{print "'$9, $5'"}'" Quote range: """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" '''''' "" Testing with echo: $ echo "ls -al /tmp | grep -i OurStuff.tar | awk '{print "'$9, $5'"}'" ls -al /tmp | grep -i OurStuff.tar | awk '{print $9, $5}' ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- If i had to produce such strings by a program, i would generally wrap them in `-quotes and use "-quotes only to protect literal '-quotes from the shell parser: watch -n 2 'ls -al /tmp | grep -i OurStuff.tar | awk '"'"'{print $9, $5}'"'" Quote range: ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' " '''''''''''''' " This needs only very simple program logic. (Also it is well suitable for human but mostly deterministic users.) Have a nice day :) Thomas _______________________________________________ users mailing list -- users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx To unsubscribe send an email to users-leave@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Fedora Code of Conduct: https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/project/code-of-conduct/ List Guidelines: https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Mailing_list_guidelines List Archives: https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx