Multi-line string with extra space (preserved indentation)

📝 Easy Ways to Preserve Indentation in Multi-line Strings

Are you struggling to preserve indentation in your multi-line strings? 😫 Don't worry, you're not alone! Many developers have faced this perplexing issue. In this blog post, we'll delve into the common problem of extra spaces being introduced when working with multi-line strings and provide you with straightforward solutions. 🙌

🔍 Understanding the Issue

Let's start by examining the sample code that caused the problem:

text="this is line one\n
this is line two\n
this is line three"

echo -e $text > filename

The expected output is:

this is line one
this is line two
this is line three

But unfortunately, the actual output contains extra spaces:

this is line one
 this is line two
 this is line three

🔧 The Cause behind the Mystery Spaces

The mystery of the extra spaces lies in the way the shell interprets the variable $text containing the multi-line string. When the string is expanded, the shell considers whitespace, including spaces and tabs, as delimiters. Consequently, any leading whitespace on subsequent lines is treated as individual spaces.

💡 Solution 1: Quoting the Variable

To preserve the original indentation and eliminate the unwanted spaces, you can enclose the variable $text in double quotes:

echo -e "$text" > filename

This simple modification instructs the shell to treat the entire contents of $text as a single argument, maintaining the desired indentation.

💡 Solution 2: Here Document

Alternatively, you can utilize a here document to achieve the same result. A here document allows you to embed large blocks of text in your script without worrying about delimiters or variable expansion.

Consider the following example:

cat << EOF > filename
$text
EOF

The cat command reads from the here document specified by << EOF until it encounters the EOF delimiter. The $text variable is passed as a separate line and won't be subject to variable expansion.

🔔 Engage with the Community

Now that you know how to resolve this issue, why not share your thoughts or experiences in the comment section below? Have you encountered any other quirky behavior when working with multi-line strings? Let's discuss!

Remember, sharing is caring, and by sharing your knowledge, you can help other developers overcome similar challenges too. So don't hesitate to spread the word and keep the conversation going! 💬

That's all for now, folks! Stay tuned for more tech tips and tricks in our upcoming blog posts. Until then, happy coding! 💻✨