How to disable set -e for an individual command?

1. Something like this:

   #!/usr/bin/env bash
   
   set -e
   echo hi
   
   # disable exitting on error temporarily
   set +e
   aoeuidhtn
   echo next line
   
   # bring it back
   set -e
   ao
   
   echo next line
   

   Run:

   $ ./test.sh
   hi
   ./test.sh: line 7: aoeuidhtn: command not found
   next line
   ./test.sh: line 11: ao: command not found
   

2. It's described in set builtin help:

   $ type set
   set is a shell builtin
   $ help set
   (...)
   Using + rather than - causes these flags to be turned off.
   

The same is documented here: https://www.gnu.org/software/bash/manual/bashref.html#The-Set-Builtin.

An alternative to unsetting the bail on error would be to force a success no matter what. You can do something like this:

cmd_to_run || true

That will return 0 (true), so the set -e shouldn't be triggered

If you are trying to catch the return/error code (function or fork), this works:

function xyz {
    return 2
}

xyz && RC=$? || RC=$?