[Bug 1833817] [NEW] Substring expansion "${string%%' '*}" doesn't work

[janlz]

Public bug reported:

The following substring expansion to get the first word of a string
separated by spaces doesn't work using dash 0.5.8-2.10 on Ubuntu 18.04
LTS:

string="one two three four"
first="${string%%' '*}"
printf "%s\n" "$first"

It prints "one two three four", instead of "one". This works on bash and
Solaris sh, but not in dash.

Oddly, not putting the white space between single quotes works:
string="one two three four"
first="${string%% *}"
printf "%s\n" "$first" # Prints "one"

** Affects: dash (Ubuntu)
     Importance: Undecided
         Status: New


** Tags: bionic

** Tags added: bionic

** Summary changed:

- Parameter expansion "${string%%' '*}" doesn't work
+ Substring expansion "${string%%' '*}" doesn't work

** Description changed:

- The following parameter expansion to get the first word of a string
+ The following substring expansion to get the first word of a string
  separated by spaces doesn't work using dash 0.5.8-2.10 on Ubuntu 18.04
  LTS:
  
  string="one two three four"
  first="${string%%' '*}"
  printf "%s\n" "$first"
  
  It prints "one two three four", instead of "one". This works on bash and
  Solaris sh, but not in dash.

** Description changed:

  The following substring expansion to get the first word of a string
  separated by spaces doesn't work using dash 0.5.8-2.10 on Ubuntu 18.04
  LTS:
  
  string="one two three four"
  first="${string%%' '*}"
  printf "%s\n" "$first"
  
  It prints "one two three four", instead of "one". This works on bash and
  Solaris sh, but not in dash.
+ 
+ Oddly, not putting the white space between single quotes works:
+ string="one two three four"
+ first="${string%% *}"
+ printf "%s\n" "$first" # Prints "one"

-- 
You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu
Foundations Bugs, which is subscribed to dash in Ubuntu.
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1833817

Title:
  Substring expansion "${string%%' '*}" doesn't work

Status in dash package in Ubuntu:
  New

Bug description:
  The following substring expansion to get the first word of a string
  separated by spaces doesn't work using dash 0.5.8-2.10 on Ubuntu 18.04
  LTS:

  string="one two three four"
  first="${string%%' '*}"
  printf "%s\n" "$first"

  It prints "one two three four", instead of "one". This works on bash
  and Solaris sh, but not in dash.

  Oddly, not putting the white space between single quotes works:
  string="one two three four"
  first="${string%% *}"
  printf "%s\n" "$first" # Prints "one"

To manage notifications about this bug go to:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/dash/+bug/1833817/+subscriptions