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How to debug a Shell Script under Linux or UNIX

Posted by Vivek Gite [Last updated: September 24, 2007]

Raju asks:

How can I Debug a shell scripts?

This is most common question asked by new admins or UNIX user.

Shell scripting debugging can be boring job (read as not easy). There are various ways to debug a shell script.

-x option to debug a shell script

Run a shell script with -x option.
$ bash -x script-name
$ bash -x domains.sh

Use of set builtin command

Bash shell offers debugging options which can be turn on or off using set command.
=> set -x : Display commands and their arguments as they are executed.
=> set -v : Display shell input lines as they are read.

You can use above two command in shell script itself:

#!/bin/bash
clear
# turn on debug mode
set -x
for f in *
do
   file $f
done
# turn OFF debug mode
set +x
ls
# more commands

You can replace standard
#!/bin/bash
with (for debugging)
#!/bin/bash -xv

Use of intelligent DEBUG function

Add special variable _DEBUG. Set to `on' when you need to debug a script:
_DEBUG="on"

Put the following function at the beginning of the script:

function DEBUG()
{
 [ "$_DEBUG" == "on" ] &&  $@ || :
}

Now wherever you need debugging simply use DEBUG function
DEBUG echo "File is $filename"
OR
DEBUG set -x
Cmd1
Cmd2
DEBUG set +x

When debugging done and before moving a script to production set _DEBUG to off
No need to delete debug lines.
_DEBUG="off" # set to anything but not to 'on'

Sample script:

#!/bin/bash
_DEBUG="on"
function DEBUG()
{
 [ "$_DEBUG" == "on" ] &&  $@ || :
}

DEBUG echo 'Reading files'
for i in *
do
  grep 'something' $i > /dev/null
  [ $? -eq 0 ] && echo "Found in $i file" || :
done
DEBUG set -x
a=2
b=3
c=$(( $a + $b ))
DEBUG set +x
echo "$a + $b = $c"

Save and run the script:
$ ./script.sh
Output:

Reading files
Found in xyz.txt file
+ a=2
+ b=3
+ c=5
+ DEBUG set +x
+ '[' on == on ']'
+ set +x
2 + 3 = 5

Now set DEBUG to off
_DEBUG="off"
Run script:
$ ./script.sh
Output:

Found in xyz.txt file
2 + 3 = 5

Above is a simple but quite effective technique. You can also try to use DEBUG as an alias instead of function.

See also:

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Discussion on This Article:

  1. _ranger_ Says:

    For running under “set -x” or “set +x”, why not just run it as:

    bash -x ./script.sh

    Also, instead of having _DEBUG in your script, just export it from your shell:

    $ export _DEBUG=on

    Now, you have to make absolutely no changes to enable or disable all debugging.

  2. nixcraft Says:

    _ranger_,

    Good idea however you may have to modify script little to check if _DEBUG is defined or not.

    Appreciate your post.

  3. sartan Says:

    I liked this debug method and implemented it in a simple script I wrote :) It really does make for much cleaner code than what I have been doing before. Thanks mate

  4. thievm Says:

    thanks,it is good idea

  5. mosjin Says:

    It’s a good idea. Thanks!

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