Bash - export environment variables with special characters ($)

Question

I'm parsing a file with key=value data and then export them as environment variables. My solution works, but not with special characters, example:

.data

VAR1=abc
VAR2=d#r3_P{os-!kblg1$we3d4xhshq7=mf$@6@3l^

script.sh

#!/bin/bash
while IFS="=" read -r key value; do
  case "$key" in
    '#'*) ;;
    *)
      eval "$key=\"$value\""
      export $key
  esac
done < .data

$ . ./script.sh

Output:

$ echo $VAR1
abc
$ echo $VAR2
d#r3_P{os-!kblg1=mf6@3l^

but should be: d#r3_P{os-!kblg1$we3d4xhshq7=mf$@6@3l^

Answer 1

Just escape the $ sign with backslash \

Answer 2

Just use single quotes:

export VAR2='d#r3_P{os-!kblg1$we3d4xhshq7=mf$@6@3l^'

Answer 3

You don't need eval at all, just use declare built-in in bash to create variables on-the-fly!

case "$key" in
  '#'*) ;;
   *)
       declare $key=$value
       export "$key"
esac

Answer 4

I found the following script (to be sourced) helpful:

set -a
source <(cat development.env | \
    sed -e '/^#/d;/^\s*$/d' -e "s/'/'\\\''/g" -e "s/=\(.*\)/='\1'/g")
set +a

From: https://stackoverflow.com/a/66118031/339144