# For loop after upgrading

**URL:** <https://community.unix.com/t/for-loop-after-upgrading/361948>\
**Category:** Shell Programming and Scripting\
**Created:** [August 13, 2016, 3:36am UTC](https://community.unix.com/t/for-loop-after-upgrading/361948 "2016-08-13T03:36:15Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 17\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Abu\_Rayane](https://community.unix.com/user_avatar/community.unix.com/abu_rayane/32/9655_2.png) [@Abu\_Rayane](https://community.unix.com/u/Abu_Rayane)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2016, 3:36am UTC](https://community.unix.com/t/for-loop-after-upgrading/361948/1 "2016-08-13T03:36:15Z")

</div>

Hello everybody,

I upgraded from Ubuntu 12.04 to 14.04, so some of my scripts in bash does NOT work, for example:

```nohighlight
#!/bin/bash

# Some codes goes here

        for ((offset=$thumbStart; offset<=$thumbEnd; offset+=10)) # LINE 459
        do
        printf -v outfile "$filePNG"_"%03d.png" "$((++n))"

        ffmpeg -itsoffset -$offset -i $fileFinal -vcodec mjpeg -vframes 1 -an -f rawvideo -s 640x480 "$outfile"

        done

        mv *.png $path2thumb

         fi # End if [$thumb -eq 0]

        multipleThumbs=$?

        } # end multipleThumbs

```

output is:

```nohighlight
# sh runScript.sh 
smartCode.sh: 459: functions.sh: Syntax error: Bad for loop variable

```

Thanks in advance

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Don\_Cragun](https://community.unix.com/user_avatar/community.unix.com/don_cragun/32/2682_2.png) [@Don\_Cragun](https://community.unix.com/u/Don_Cragun)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2016, 7:03am UTC](https://community.unix.com/t/for-loop-after-upgrading/361948/2 "2016-08-13T07:03:07Z")

</div>

It would appear that the new version of `bash` that you are now running has an additional keyword that you can no longer use as a variable name in your scripts. Try changing:

```nohighlight
        for ((offset=$thumbStart; offset<=$thumbEnd; offset+=10)) # LINE 459
        do
        printf -v outfile "$filePNG"_"%03d.png" "$((++n))"

        ffmpeg -itsoffset -$offset -i $fileFinal -vcodec mjpeg -vframes 1 -an -f rawvideo -s 640x480 "$outfile"

```

to:

```nohighlight
        for ((Offset=$thumbStart; Offset<=$thumbEnd; Offset+=10)) # LINE 459
        do
        printf -v outfile "$filePNG"_"%03d.png" "$((++n))"

        ffmpeg -itsoffset -$Offset -i $fileFinal -vcodec jpeg -vframes 1 -an -f rawvideo -s 640x480 "$outfile"

```

and see if that works.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Abu\_Rayane](https://community.unix.com/user_avatar/community.unix.com/abu_rayane/32/9655_2.png) [@Abu\_Rayane](https://community.unix.com/u/Abu_Rayane)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2016, 7:26am UTC](https://community.unix.com/t/for-loop-after-upgrading/361948/3 "2016-08-13T07:26:22Z")

</div>

I tried your example, I've got the same error, so I made another example:

```nohighlight
#!/bin/bash

for (( i=0; i<=10; i+=2 ))
do
 echo "Welcome $i times" 
done

```

then

```nohighlight
sh.sh: 3: sh.sh: Syntax error: Bad for loop variable

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![wisecracker](https://community.unix.com/user_avatar/community.unix.com/wisecracker/32/2800_2.png) [@wisecracker](https://community.unix.com/u/wisecracker)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2016, 7:42am UTC](https://community.unix.com/t/for-loop-after-upgrading/361948/4 "2016-08-13T07:42:04Z")

</div>

It would be interesting to know what version of bash you are actually using as I can only create that error in " dash ".  
` bash -version `

```nohighlight
Last login: Sat Aug 13 12:31:55 on ttys000
AMIGA:barrywalker~> dash
AMIGA:\u\w> #!/bin/bash

for (( i=0; i<=10; i+=2 ))
do
 echo "Welcome $i times" 
doneAMIGA:\u\w> AMIGA:\u\w> dash: 3: Syntax error: Bad for loop variable
AMIGA:\u\w> dash: 3: Syntax error: "do" unexpected
AMIGA:\u\w> AMIGA:\u\w> Welcome times
AMIGA:\u\w> exit
dash: 5: doneexit: not found
AMIGA:\u\w> exit
AMIGA:barrywalker~> 
AMIGA:barrywalker~> #!/bin/bash
AMIGA:barrywalker~> 
AMIGA:barrywalker~> for (( i=0; i<=10; i+=2 ))
> do
> echo "Welcome $i times" 
> done
Welcome 0 times
Welcome 2 times
Welcome 4 times
Welcome 6 times
Welcome 8 times
Welcome 10 times
AMIGA:barrywalker~> _

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Abu\_Rayane](https://community.unix.com/user_avatar/community.unix.com/abu_rayane/32/9655_2.png) [@Abu\_Rayane](https://community.unix.com/u/Abu_Rayane)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2016, 7:49am UTC](https://community.unix.com/t/for-loop-after-upgrading/361948/5 "2016-08-13T07:49:02Z")

</div>

Here you go

```nohighlight
# bash -version
GNU bash, version 4.3.11(1)-release (x86_64-pc-linux-gnu)
Copyright (C) 2013 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later <http://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>

This is free software; you are free to change and redistribute it.
There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![drl](https://community.unix.com/user_avatar/community.unix.com/drl/32/542_2.png) [@drl](https://community.unix.com/u/drl)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2016, 7:50am UTC](https://community.unix.com/t/for-loop-after-upgrading/361948/6 "2016-08-13T07:50:18Z")

</div>

Hi.

> [@abu rayane](#):
>
> ...
> 
> ```plaintext
> sh.sh: 3: sh.sh: Syntax error: Bad for loop variable
> 
> ```

Because of the `sh.sh` , it looks to me like there is an alias for `bash` , or `sh.sh` is named `bash` in `/bin`

Thsi code worked for me in:

```plaintext
OS, ker|rel, machine: Linux, 3.16.0-73-generic, x86_64
Distribution : Ubuntu 14.04.2 (KDE, Trusty Tahr) 
bash GNU bash 4.3.11

```

as well as in:

```plaintext
OS, ker|rel, machine: Linux, 3.16.0-4-amd64, x86_64
Distribution : Debian 8.4 (jessie) 
bash GNU bash 4.3.30

```

Best wishes ... cheers, drl

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Abu\_Rayane](https://community.unix.com/user_avatar/community.unix.com/abu_rayane/32/9655_2.png) [@Abu\_Rayane](https://community.unix.com/u/Abu_Rayane)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2016, 8:01am UTC](https://community.unix.com/t/for-loop-after-upgrading/361948/7 "2016-08-13T08:01:51Z")

</div>

It seems something strange with it:

```nohighlight
# mv sh.sh test.sh
# sh test.sh 
test.sh: 3: test.sh: Syntax error: Bad for loop variable

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![drl](https://community.unix.com/user_avatar/community.unix.com/drl/32/542_2.png) [@drl](https://community.unix.com/u/drl)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2016, 8:10am UTC](https://community.unix.com/t/for-loop-after-upgrading/361948/8 "2016-08-13T08:10:15Z")

</div>

Hi.

It needs `bash` , so try:

```nohighlight
bash sh.sh

```

I did get it to fail with:

```nohighlight
sh sh.sh

```

The command `sh` is not the same as `bash` ... cheers, drl

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Don\_Cragun](https://community.unix.com/user_avatar/community.unix.com/don_cragun/32/2682_2.png) [@Don\_Cragun](https://community.unix.com/u/Don_Cragun)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2016, 8:37am UTC](https://community.unix.com/t/for-loop-after-upgrading/361948/9 "2016-08-13T08:37:10Z")

</div>

> [@abu rayane](#):
>
> Here you go
> 
> ```plaintext
> # bash -version
> GNU bash, version 4.3.11(1)-release (x86_64-pc-linux-gnu)
> Copyright (C) 2013 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
> License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later <http://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>
> 
> This is free software; you are free to change and redistribute it.
> There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.
> 
> ```

Please show us the output from the command:

```plaintext
type bash

```

and the output from the command:

```plaintext
head sh.sh | od -bc

```

or, if you have since renamed `sh.sh` to `test.sh` , the output from the command:

```plaintext
head test.sh | od -bc

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Scrutinizer](https://community.unix.com/user_avatar/community.unix.com/scrutinizer/32/1216_2.png) [@Scrutinizer](https://community.unix.com/u/Scrutinizer)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2016, 12:44pm UTC](https://community.unix.com/t/for-loop-after-upgrading/361948/10 "2016-08-13T12:44:23Z")

</div>

Like drl said, either call you script like this:

```nohighlight
# bash runScript.sh

```

or ensure it is executable and use:

```nohighlight
./runScript.sh

```

which uses the shebang on the first line of your script:

```nohighlight
#!/bin/bash

```

If you call it like you did in post #1:

```nohighlight
sh runScript.sh

```

on a typical Ubuntu installation, then `dash` gets called instead of `bash` .  
`dash` does not know that kind of for loop.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Abu\_Rayane](https://community.unix.com/user_avatar/community.unix.com/abu_rayane/32/9655_2.png) [@Abu\_Rayane](https://community.unix.com/u/Abu_Rayane)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2016, 9:39pm UTC](https://community.unix.com/t/for-loop-after-upgrading/361948/11 "2016-08-13T21:39:14Z")

</div>

> [@don cragun](#):
>
> ```plaintext
> type bash
> 
> ```

```plaintext
# type bash
bash is /bin/bash

```

```plaintext
head test.sh | od -bc
0000000 043 041 057 142 151 156 057 142 141 163 150 012 012 146 157 162
          # ! / b i n / b a s h \n \n f o r
0000020 040 050 050 040 151 075 060 073 040 151 074 075 061 060 073 040
              ( ( i = 0 ; i < = 1 0 ;    
0000040 151 053 075 062 040 051 051 012 144 157 012 040 145 143 150 157
          i + = 2 ) ) \n d o \n e c h o
0000060 040 042 127 145 154 143 157 155 145 040 044 151 040 164 151 155
              " W e l c o m e $ i t i m
0000100 145 163 042 040 012 144 157 156 145 012 012 074 074 103 117 115
          e s " \n d o n e \n \n < < C O M
0000120 115 012 164 150 165 155 142 123 164 141 162 164 075 060 012 164
          M \n t h u m b S t a r t = 0 \n t
0000140 150 165 155 142 105 156 144 075 061 060 060 012
          h u m b E n d = 1 0 0 \n
0000154

```

> [@drl](#):
>
> ```plaintext
> bash sh.sh
> 
> ```

This works fine

> [@scrutinizer](#):
>
> Like drl said, either call you script like this:
> 
> ```plaintext
> # bash runScript.sh
> 
> ```
> 
> or ensure it is executable and use:
> 
> ```plaintext
> ./runScript.sh
> 
> ```
> 
> which uses the shebang on the first line of your script:
> 
> ```plaintext
> #!/bin/bash
> 
> ```

How can I change from dash to bash, I use to run my scripts using sh file.sh

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Don\_Cragun](https://community.unix.com/user_avatar/community.unix.com/don_cragun/32/2682_2.png) [@Don\_Cragun](https://community.unix.com/u/Don_Cragun)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2016, 10:09pm UTC](https://community.unix.com/t/for-loop-after-upgrading/361948/12 "2016-08-13T22:09:54Z")

</div>

> [@abu rayane](#):
>
> ```plaintext
> # type bash
> bash is /bin/bash
> 
> ```
> 
> ```plaintext
> head test.sh | od -bc
> 0000000 043 041 057 142 151 156 057 142 141 163 150 012 012 146 157 162
> # ! / b i n / b a s h \n \n f o r
> 0000020 040 050 050 040 151 075 060 073 040 151 074 075 061 060 073 040
> ( ( i = 0 ; i < = 1 0 ;    
> 0000040 151 053 075 062 040 051 051 012 144 157 012 040 145 143 150 157
> i + = 2 ) ) \n d o \n e c h o
> 0000060 040 042 127 145 154 143 157 155 145 040 044 151 040 164 151 155
> " W e l c o m e $ i t i m
> 0000100 145 163 042 040 012 144 157 156 145 012 012 074 074 103 117 115
> e s " \n d o n e \n \n < < C O M
> 0000120 115 012 164 150 165 155 142 123 164 141 162 164 075 060 012 164
> M \n t h u m b S t a r t = 0 \n t
> 0000140 150 165 155 142 105 156 144 075 061 060 060 012
> h u m b E n d = 1 0 0 \n
> 0000154
> 
> ```
> 
> This works fine
> 
> How can I change from dash to bash, I use to run my scripts using sh file.sh

Using the command `sh scriptname` runs your script with `sh` ; not with `bash` . Run your `bash` script with `bash` :

```plaintext
bash sh.sh

```

or make you script executable:

```plaintext
chmod +x sh.sh

```

and run your script by its name in the directory where it resides:

```plaintext
./sh.sh

```

or, after making your script executable, move your script into a directory in the list of directories contained in the expansion of `$PATH` and just execute it by its name:

```plaintext
sh.sh

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Abu\_Rayane](https://community.unix.com/user_avatar/community.unix.com/abu_rayane/32/9655_2.png) [@Abu\_Rayane](https://community.unix.com/u/Abu_Rayane)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2016, 10:15pm UTC](https://community.unix.com/t/for-loop-after-upgrading/361948/13 "2016-08-13T22:15:35Z")

</div>

I don't face these kind of problems in another server, I can run my scripts anywhere using sh file.sh, what can I change to do the same thing?

Well this is a test script from another server:

```nohighlight
# sh date.sh 
08-14-16
05:11:55
14-08-2016 05:11:55
1471140715
Sun Aug 14 05:11:55 AST 2016
1471133515
7200
Sun Aug 14 03:11:55 AST 2016

```

```nohighlight
#ls -l date.sh
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 352 Aug 17 2015 date.sh

```

```nohighlight
# type bash
bash is /bin/bash

```

```nohighlight
# echo $PATH
/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/games

```

```nohighlight
# bash -version
GNU bash, version 4.2.25(1)-release (x86_64-pc-linux-gnu)
Copyright (C) 2011 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later <http://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>

This is free software; you are free to change and redistribute it.
There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![wisecracker](https://community.unix.com/user_avatar/community.unix.com/wisecracker/32/2800_2.png) [@wisecracker](https://community.unix.com/u/wisecracker)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2016, 4:07am UTC](https://community.unix.com/t/for-loop-after-upgrading/361948/14 "2016-08-14T04:07:29Z")

</div>

Try a little lateral thinking:-

` bash sh.sh `

If your code works then what I and Scrutinizer suggested about " dash " is being used as the pure shell and NOT a " bashism " version of it...

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![RudiC](https://community.unix.com/letter_avatar/rudic/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@RudiC](https://community.unix.com/u/RudiC)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2016, 5:37am UTC](https://community.unix.com/t/for-loop-after-upgrading/361948/15 "2016-08-14T05:37:22Z")

</div>

> [@abu rayane](#):
>
> I don't face these kind of problems in another server, I can run my scripts anywhere using sh file.sh, what can I change to do the same thing?  
> .  
> .  
> .

Explicitly using `sh` to run `file.sh` will exclude `bash` / `ksh` in the first place UNLESS `sh` is an alias or a link to one of those advanced shells. On your other server, check if `sh` is one of those.

> [@](#):
>
> Well this is a test script from another server:
> 
> ```plaintext
> # sh date.sh 
> 08-14-16
> 05:11:55
> .
> .
> .
> 
> ```

Does `date.sh` contain the same type of `for` loop?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Don\_Cragun](https://community.unix.com/user_avatar/community.unix.com/don_cragun/32/2682_2.png) [@Don\_Cragun](https://community.unix.com/u/Don_Cragun)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2016, 9:59am UTC](https://community.unix.com/t/for-loop-after-upgrading/361948/16 "2016-08-14T09:59:40Z")

</div>

> [@abu rayane](#):
>
> How can I change from dash to bash, I use to run my scripts using sh file.sh

> [@abu rayane](#):
>
> I don't face these kind of problems in another server, I can run my scripts anywhere using sh file.sh, what can I change to do the same thing?

I gave you three suggestions in post #12 in this thread that will probably work on most, if not all, of your systems. If you choose to ignore that advice, and insist on executing you `bash` scripts with the command:

```plaintext
sh bash_script

```

you have one choice: Remove all code from all of the scripts that you want to invoke with `sh` that was not present in a 1970's Bourne shell. The commands `sh` and `bash` are not the same. If you are unwilling to use `bash` to execute your `bash` scripts, you have to change your scripts to be Bourne shell scripts that you can execute with `sh` , or limit yourself to never use any server that does not have `sh` as a link to a shell that supports the `bash` extensions to the Bourne shell that your scripts use.

Of course, you could replace `/bin/sh` with a `bash` shell, but if you do that you may end up with a system that will no longer boot.

But, it would be MUCH better if you would forget the ridiculous assumption that you can execute an `awk` with the `sed` command, compile a C program conforming the the 2011 C standard with a 1970's C compiler, or run a `bash` script using a shell named `sh` .

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Abu\_Rayane](https://community.unix.com/user_avatar/community.unix.com/abu_rayane/32/9655_2.png) [@Abu\_Rayane](https://community.unix.com/u/Abu_Rayane)\
**Post date:** [August 23, 2016, 11:58pm UTC](https://community.unix.com/t/for-loop-after-upgrading/361948/18 "2016-08-23T23:58:45Z")

</div>

Well, I did some more stuffs, I reinstalled the server, the bash version now is: "GNU bash, version 4.3.46(1)-release (x86\_64-pc-linux-gnu)", I can use both of "bash" and "sh", thank you for your suport