Default shell variables value

You can set the default shell variable value using the following syntax. For example, try to display the value of an undefined variable called grandslam:

echo $grandslam

Nothing will be displayed as the variable grandslam was not set in the first place. If $grandslam unset, set name to "Maria Sharapova", enter:

echo ${grandslam=Maria Sharapova}

Sample outputs:

Maria Sharapova

You can also use the following syntax:

echo ${grandslam:-DefaultValueHere}

• if $grandslam name is not set use default "Maria Sharapova":

echo ${grandslam:-Maria Sharapova}

• if $grandslam unset, set name to default "Maria Sharapova":

echo ${grandslam:=Maria Sharapova}

The := syntax

If the variable is an empty, you can assign a default value. The syntax is:

${var:=defaultValue}

Example

Type the following command at a shell prompt:

echo ${arg:=Foo}
bank=HSBC
echo ${bank:=Citi}
unset bank
echo ${bank:=Citi}

In this example, the function die assigns a default value if $1 argument is missing:

die(){
  local error=${1:=Undefined error}
  echo "$0: $LINE $error" 
}
die "File not found"
die

The second die call will produce an error on screen:

bash: $1: cannot assign in this way

Update the die function as follows:

die(){
  local error=${1:-Undefined error}
  echo "$0: $LINE $error" 
}
# call die() with an argument 
die "File not found"
 
 
# call die() without an argument 
die