preserve inline variable with sudo

Question

Hi i'm trying to make something like this to work in bash ``` $ http=xx sudo echo $http xx ``` but i keep getting an empty line, the only thing that works so far is: ``` $ export http=xx $ sudo -E echo $http xx ``` what i would like to achieve is the ability to inline a variable for the sudo command i also tried this as suggested here ``` $ sudo http=xx echo $http ``` but with no luck, am i missing something?

Accepted Answer

The problem with the first command is that `http` variable expansion happens before it is set.

```
$ http=xx sudo echo $http
```

Try instead

```
$ http=xx sudo -E bash -c 'echo $http'
```

The syntax is described in `man env`

```
   Some have suggested that env is redundant since the same effect is achieved by:

name=value ... utility [ argument ... ]
```

Otherwise if the goal is not to affect current shell environment the export and sudo command can be done in a subshell:

```
$ ( export http=xx ; sudo -E 'echo $http' )
```

preserve inline variable with sudo

Solution

Problem