apt-get fails to continue running in a loop after one failed install in bash

Question

I am trying to create a bash script that will automatically install stuff using apt-get. I am using the following methods for the installation:

Method 1

Install(){
for TempVar in "$1"
do
eval 'sudo apt-get install '$TempVar
done
}

Method 2

Install(){
eval 'sudo apt-get install '$TempVar
}

for TempVar in "$1"
do
Install '(insert programs here separated by spaces)'
done

In both cases when something failed to install apt-get refused to install anything else. Naturally, apt-get functioned normally in the same script after the for loop ended. I am under the impression that apt-get retains its error status until the loop it was executed in is fully terminated. Is there a way to get around this?

Answer 1

I think that your code fails because you do all the installations in one apt-get command. And apt-get processes arguments given to it one-by-one. so when one of the arguments fails, then all that follows will be ignored.

So, In your calling code, you give it just one argument, namely the quoted string 'pkg1 pkg2 pk3':

Install 'pkg1 pgk2 pkg3'

then in your function, eval takes the one argument string, and turns it into a single apt-get command with 3 package arguments.

I just wrote and tested the following. I think it is what you want:

#!/bin/bash

function my_install() {
    for p in "$@"
    do
    sudo apt-get --yes install $p
    done
}


# here, call:
# my_install pkg1 pkg2 pkg3

Notice, I don't quote my package list arguments to my function. Also note, I use "$@" in my for loop.

Answer 2

both your loops install only one package with each call to apt-get. It's not apt-get that is stopping the loop on error, it's bash, because each apt-get is running as a separate command.

I think what you wanted was

sudo apt-get install $1

Edit: also, if you quote "$1" it will create a single long package name containing spaces, which is probably not what you want. If your script arguments contain spaces, use "$@" (with quotes around it). $@ will reproduce the script args as received, with spaces in the right places.

Answer 3

Like others have already pointed out, your quoting is off. In fact, the loops are redundant, because for anything in "$1" will always execute the loop body exactly one.

That can be fixed by using for anything in "$@" but in fact, I think your apprach is wrong. Simply add one option;

sudo apt-get install --ignore-missing list of packages without quotes