Question

I am attempting to write a script that will generate a random number and then make a directory called that random number and copy in a text file. I have tried everything i could think of the assign the variable but each time i get

RANDOM: command not found
RANDOM: command not found
bash: //small.txt: No such file or directory
bash: //small.txt: No such file or directory

Below is my code

#!/bin/bash
one=$(RANDOM)
two=$(RANDOM)

mkdir -p $one
mkdir -p $two
echo “BIGGGGGONgrery54y457457yytewrterytyutytytyhtytryrtyrthrthtrhrtyhrthrhtrhrthrthrthrthE”| > $one/small.txt
echo “B”| > $two/small.txt
echo "finish -l test me "
done

Answer 1

It’s not illegal syntax (it does mean something), it’s just the wrong syntax for what you want. Instead of $(RANDOM) you want ${RANDOM} or even just $RANDOM.

When you use $() it’s a command substitution, so bash is literally trying to execute a command named RANDOM, which is why you get command not found and nothing in your variables.

Your I/O redirection also looks wrong… to write to a file you should use:

echo "something" > file

Note that I removed the |.