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How do a query a variable which has json value using jq. Below the command returs a json assigns to activity variable. But from activity variable not sure how to query using jq?

activity=`aws autoscaling describe-scaling-activities --profile mfa --auto-scaling-group-name cb-citation-needed --max-items 1`

When I try below it the variable activityCause is empty.

activityCause=$activity| jq -r '.Activities[].Cause'

or

activityCause=`$activity| jq -r '.Activities[].Cause'` i get error for this one

However when I try to query in one single command it works

activityCause=`aws autoscaling describe-scaling-activities --profile mfa --auto-scaling-group-name cb-citation-needed --max-items 1 | jq -r '.Activities[].Cause'`
oguz ismail
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kumar
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1 Answers1

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The first command assigns the JSON to the activity variable.

The second command, need's to be altert to 'feed' the json through the pipe since in activityCause=$activity $activity is interpreted as a command, and not the JSON;

  1. Use bash Here

    activityCause=$(jq -r '.Activities[].Cause' <<< "$activity")

  2. Use oldschool echo:

    activityCause=$(echo "$activity" | jq -r '.Activities[].Cause')
0stone0
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  • Tip: `echo` can mess up some strings, and works differently on different systems. `printf '%s' "$activity"` is more reliable. – ikegami Dec 23 '20 at 08:56