Alias with variable in bash

I want to create an alias in bash like this:

alias tail_ls="ls -l $1 | tail"

Thus, if somebody types:

tail_ls /etc/ 

it will only show the last 10 files in the directory.

But $1 does not seem to work for me. Is there any way I can introduce variables in bash.

I'd create a function for that, rather than alias, and then exported it, like this:

function tail_ls { ls -l "$1" | tail; }

export -f tail_ls

Note -f switch to export: it tells it that you are exporting a function. Put this in your .bashrc and you are good to go.

The solution of @maxim-sloyko did not work, but if the following:

1. In ~/.bashrc add:

   sendpic () { scp "$@" mina@foo.bar.ca:/www/misc/Pictures/; }
   

2. Save the file and reload

   $ source ~/.bashrc
   

3. And execute:

   $ sendpic filename.jpg
   

original source: http://www.linuxhowtos.org/Tips%20and%20Tricks/command_aliases.htm

alias tail_ls='_tail_ls() { ls -l "$1" | tail ;}; _tail_ls'

You can define $1 with set, then use your alias as intended:

$ alias tail_ls='ls -l "$1" | tail'
$ set mydir
$ tail_ls

tail_ls() { ls -l "$1" | tail; }

If you are using the Fish shell (from http://fishshell.com ) instead of bash, they write functions a little differently.

You'll want to add something like this to your ~/.config/fish/config.fish which is the equivalent of your ~/.bashrc

function tail_ls
  ls -l $1 | tail
end