Can I create BASH function that will hold text block that can then be called for output to FILE and SCREEN to cut down on code block repetition

Question

I have a BASH utility that outputs measurements to screen live as it runs and writes the result to file at the same time. I am having to repeat the same code twice (see below).

Once to write to screen, and

Once to write to file.

This seems like a lot of redundancy to me.

Can I put one text block into something like a function then call it to be written to screen and file at the same time?

This would cut down on a lot of re-keying.

Example below

###### write out to file : push end time at end ################
echo >> $file_name
echo "End time: "$end_time >> $file_name
echo >> $file_name
echo >> $file_name
echo >> $file_name

######  print to screen : push end time at end  #################

echo 
echo "End time: "$end_time 
echo
echo
echo

So I'd be looking for someting like this

funtion text_block{
######  print to screen : push end time at end  #################
echo 
echo "End time: "$end_time 
echo
echo
echo
}

Then a command that does something like this

"command print text_block to screen, print text_block to file"

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Jan 15 '19 at 12:59

2

You can use the utility tee

command | tee my_file.out

this will both write a file name my_file.out and write it to stdout.

Source this post from StackOverflow

answered Jan 15 '19 at 12:59

Kiwy

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that really helped me clean up repeat code and get rid of typos introduced by unnecessary re-keying when making changes. Thanks – Kes Jan 15 '19 at 13:37
You're very welcome @Kes – Kiwy Jan 15 '19 at 14:24

Can I create BASH function that will hold text block that can then be called for output to FILE and SCREEN to cut down on code block repetition

1 Answers1