# Working with Shell Output

### Encode shell variables

Note that comments are dropped and values will be enclosed in single quotes as needed.

Given a sample.yml file of:

```yaml
# comment
name: Mike Wazowski
eyes:
  color: turquoise
  number: 1
friends:
  - James P. Sullivan
  - Celia Mae
```

then

```bash
yq -o=shell sample.yml
```

will output

```sh
name='Mike Wazowski'
eyes_color=turquoise
eyes_number=1
friends_0='James P. Sullivan'
friends_1='Celia Mae'
```

### Encode shell variables: illegal variable names as key.

Keys that would be illegal as variable keys are adapted.

Given a sample.yml file of:

```yaml
ascii_=_symbols: replaced with _
"ascii_	_controls": dropped (this example uses \t)
nonascii_א_characters: dropped
effort_expeñded_tò_preserve_accented_latin_letters: moderate (via unicode NFKD)

```

then

```bash
yq -o=shell sample.yml
```

will output

```sh
ascii___symbols='replaced with _'
ascii__controls='dropped (this example uses \t)'
nonascii__characters=dropped
effort_expended_to_preserve_accented_latin_letters='moderate (via unicode NFKD)'
```

### Encode shell variables: empty values, arrays and maps

Empty values are encoded to empty variables, but empty arrays and maps are skipped.

Given a sample.yml file of:

```yaml
empty:
  value:
  array: []
  map:   {}
```

then

```bash
yq -o=shell sample.yml
```

will output

```sh
empty_value=
```

### Encode shell variables: single quotes in values

Single quotes in values are encoded as '"'"' (close single quote, double-quoted single quote, open single quote).

Given a sample.yml file of:

```yaml
name: Miles O'Brien
```

then

```bash
yq -o=shell sample.yml
```

will output

```sh
name='Miles O'"'"'Brien'
```

### Encode shell variables: custom separator

Use --shell-key-separator to specify a custom separator between keys. This is useful when the original keys contain underscores.

Given a sample.yml file of:

```yaml
my_app:
  db_config:
    host: localhost
    port: 5432
```

then

```bash
yq -o=shell --shell-key-separator="__" sample.yml
```

will output

```sh
my_app__db_config__host=localhost
my_app__db_config__port=5432
```