innobackupex-1.5.1 cannot handle MySQL passwords which contain special characters

Toolset version:

  innobackupex : 1.5.1
  xtrabackup : 1.2

Built from source, against MySQL 5.0.91.
Operating system RHEL 4, 64 bit AMD.

Command line :

  innobackupex --user='<user name>' --password='<password including shell special character' ...

NB - notice that the password on the 'innobackupex' command line is quoted, to prevent the command line shell from trying to interpret it.

EG :

  innobackupex-1.5.1 --host=<test host name> \
    --port=21192 \
    --user='nick' \
    --password='special&char' \
    --no-lock \
    --defaults-file <path to config file>/my.sandbox.cnf \
    `pwd`

  .... additional output here ....

  innobackupex-1.5.1: Starting mysql with options: --defaults-file="<path to config file>/my.sandbox.cnf" --password=special&char --user=nick --host=<test host name> --port=21192 --unbuffered --

  101209 14:34:06 innobackupex-1.5.1: Connected to database with mysql child process (pid=4969)
  ERROR 1045 (28000): Access denied for user 'msandbox'@'localhost' (using password: YES)

  innobackupex-1.5.1: Error: mysql child process has died: sh: char: command not found

As you can see, the '&' has been interpreted incorrectly when the upper level script calls the lower level MySQL instance.

The fix is as follows:

  sub get_mysql_options {
    my $options = '';

    # this option has to be first
    if ($option_defaults_file) {
        $options = "$options --defaults-file=\"$option_defaults_file\"";
    }

    if ($option_mysql_password) {
        $options = "$options --password='$option_mysql_password'"; <<<< Single quotes added here to protect the password
    }

    ....
  }