Searching for a string variable

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1

Hi ...

I have a string variable

STR = "This is a test message"

I have a file abc.txt that I am searching for the occurence of the string STR ...
I am using the command in a script

cat abc.txt | grep $STR

It identifies each space as a seperator and prints word by word.
How to suppress the space when searcing with grep?
It works only when I use the string itself in the command and not the varible name [ It works when I say cat abc.txt | "This is a test message" ]

How do I solve this issue. I appreciate your help.

Thanks,
Matt.

2

Place the variable $STR within double quotes and there is no need to use cat:

grep "$STR" abc.txt

Regards

3

Note after Marker #3...
See the following:

> cat search_str 
#! /bin/bash

sstring="This is a test message"
echo "Marker #1"
cat abc.txt

echo "Marker #2"
cat abc.txt | grep $sstring

echo "Marker #3"
cat abc.txt | grep "$sstring"


> search_str
Marker #1
This is a test message
This is not the right message
Neither is this
Could this be one?
This is not a test message
And one last
This is a test message

Marker #2
grep: can't open is
grep: can't open a
grep: can't open test
grep: can't open message
Marker #3
This is a test message
This is a test message
>