how to execute two commands stored in one bash variable

Question

Let's say there is one bash variable

run1="date"

I need to execute date by

${run1}

And it works, since it prints current time. But if I put two commands in the variable,

run2="date; echo foo"

I can't execute the commands stored in variable run2 , since ${run2} complains

date;: command not found

Answer 1

Try:

eval ${run2}

This should help.

Answer 2

Try eval "${run2}" . That will interpret the variable as a sequence of commands to be run.