Getting syntax error due to curly braces with multiple commands

Question

I am trying to run the following multiple commands a command prompt but I get syntax error near unexpected token '}'. The following page examples where it is working but I am getting the syntax error. I am running Ubuntu desktop 18.04.5. What am I missing? Thanks.

{echo "Today's date and time"; date;} > f1

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Oct 07 '21 at 17:10

2

You need a space after the {. The shell needs to see the { as a single token ("words"), but what it sees is {echo so when it gets to the final }, it doesn't know what to do with it:

{ echo "Today's date and time"; date;} > f1

answered Oct 07 '21 at 17:10

terdon

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Thanks terdon. That was the issue. – user2220115 Oct 07 '21 at 17:33

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Oct 07 '21 at 17:12

1

Insert a space at the beginning :

 { echo "Today's date and time"; date;}

answered Oct 07 '21 at 17:12

Frédéric Loyer

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Getting syntax error due to curly braces with multiple commands

2 Answers2