Key-value pairs in configuration file on unix - can the value contain the number sign (#)??

Question

Hi,

I'm using the openssl utility of debian in order to create a certificate.

The certificate paramemters are given in a configuration file, which is made of key-value pairs.

My problem is that I want one of the values to include the number sign (#). But openssl handles this sign as a beginning of comment, i.e. if my value is val#1, openssl uses only val as the value, and ignores the # and every character after it until the end of the line.

Is there a way to use the # sign in a value?

Thanks,

Dikla

Answer 1

Did you try to escape the # sign?

key = value\#with\#hash

Alternatively you can try to put double quotes around the value

key = "value#with#hash"