Description
Extract literal text after a shell single-quote opener and report whether the first closing quote ends the token.
Shell token meaning depends on quote context, escape syntax, parameter expansion, and the particular shell. A literal split or escape decoder can inspect text without evaluating it. Recognizing a token does not execute a command or reproduce every rule of a complete shell parser.
Extract literal text after a shell single-quote opener and report whether the first closing quote ends the token.
When to use this tool
Use Shell Single Quoted Token Boundary when you need to inspect the supported literal shell-related token or escape without evaluating it.
How to use the tool and how it works
- Enter token. Use the units and conventions below.
- Run the tool. Correct any format, range, or cross-field input error before interpreting the output.
- Read value, closed. Inspect closed before interpreting the associated values.
Require an opening single quote and find the first following single quote. Return its literal enclosed text if found, otherwise the remainder after the opener; closed is true only when that closing quote is the final character.1
| Input field | Meaning and units | Accepted input |
|---|---|---|
| token | Complete literal token in the grammar stated above. | Required. Text; maximum UTF-16 length 8192. |
| Output field | Interpretation | Returned shape |
|---|---|---|
| value | Value | Required. Text; maximum UTF-16 length 8192. |
| closed | Closed | Required. Boolean. |
{
"input": {
"token": "'hello world'"
},
"output": {
"value": "hello world",
"closed": true
}
}Limitations and assumptions
- Content is not expanded or executed. Trailing text makes closed=false even when an early quote exists, and this does not tokenize a complete shell word, concatenated quotes, or a command.
- Inputs must satisfy both the field types and the cross-field conditions above. Invalid input causes an error; a successful false flag or documented placeholder is a different result.
Alternative or Complementary methods
Use a shell-aware lexer or parser for quote context, concatenated words, nested expansions, and complete command syntax. Preserve untrusted text as data when its role is inspection.
References
Similar or alternative tools
- Parsing: Shell Parameter Simple Default Split
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- Shell Ansi C Hex Escape
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