From: robertlaferla@...
Date: 2006-10-25T03:15:26+09:00
Subject: backquote and variables

I am trying to construct a command line to be executed using backquote `` notation.  i.e.  capturing the output to a string

e.g.

#!/usr/bin/ruby -w
file = "/etc/motd"
string = `"cat " + file`
puts string

% ruby test.rb
sh: line 1: cat : command not found

This doesn't work.  It appears that everything between the backquotes is treated as a quoted string.  i.e. no variable substitution takes place.

How can I work around this?