How to execute a remote command over ssh with arguments?

by

Do it this way instead:

function mycommand {
    ssh [email protected] "cd testdir;./test.sh \"$1\""
}

You still have to pass the whole command as a single string, yet in that single string you need to have $1 expanded before it is sent to ssh so you need to use "" for it.

Update

Another proper way to do this actually is to use printf %q to properly quote the argument. This would make the argument safe to parse even if it has spaces, single quotes, double quotes, or any other character that may have a special meaning to the shell:

function mycommand {
    printf -v __ %q "$1"
    ssh [email protected] "cd testdir;./test.sh $__"
}
  • When declaring a function with function, () is not necessary.
  • Don’t comment back about it just because you’re a POSIXist.

Starting Bash version 4.4, it can also be simplified to this:

function mycommand {
    ssh [email protected] "cd testdir;./test.sh ${1@Q}"
}

See ${parameter@operator} section in Shell Parameter Expansion.

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