Awk not working correctly about powershell-wsl-interop

[mikebattista]

I can get it working by embedding quotes inside the parameters like below.

> awk -F''', ''' '''{print $2}''' .\test.txt
awk: warning: escape sequence `\,' treated as plain `,'
awk: warning: escape sequence `\ ' treated as plain ` '
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You need the embedded quotes to make sure they're passed through as part of the parameter value inside WSL. Otherwise, PowerShell uses them to process the parameters but doesn't consider them part of the parameter itself.

[speed65]

Thanks for taking a look @mikebattista

Please forgive me if is this sounds rude, but just know that I am not trying to be.

Humble question:
I thought the point of your module was to allow correct functionality of the special characters such as the ' and not have to do corrective embedding or as you say "unnatural embedding"

Here is a quote from the fourth bullet on your README
Arguments with special characters (e.g. regular expressions) are often misinterpreted without unnatural embedded quotes or escape sequences

Thank you,

This has been a great module from what I have seen so far!

[mikebattista]

Are you able to run awk inside wsl without using the quotes? The way the module avoids embedded quotes in general is to escape the parameters when they are passed to WSL so they are interpreted correctly without the quotes.

If you need to pass quotes, then they'll need to be embedded. The first set of quotes are interpreted by PowerShell and not part of the arguments. And single vs. double quotes have different meanings so wrapping arguments that are passed to WSL would not always behave as expected.

[speed65]

So here is what happened when I tried the 3 different combos of quotes, and finally, the correct way.

speed65@UAS2324401:~$ awk -F', ' {print $2} test.txt
awk: cmd. line:1: {print
awk: cmd. line:1:       ^ unexpected newline or end of string
speed65@UAS2324401:~$ awk -F', {print $2} test.txt
>
> ^C
speed65@UAS2324401:~$ awk -F, {print $2} test.txt
awk: cmd. line:1: {print
awk: cmd. line:1:       ^ unexpected newline or end of string
speed65@UAS2324401:~$ awk -F', ' '{print $2}' test.txt
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Is there any way to tell Powershell or the module to grab the literal string following "awk" only when a command starts with the keyword "awk" so that the single quotes will not be interpreted by Powershell?

For Powershell maybe a change in the profile to do so.
For your module, well that's your dept. You would have to tell me. ;)

Just thinking out loud here.

Thank you,

[mikebattista]

I don't believe so and I certainly wouldn't want to hardcode a path just for "awk".