Escape filenames the same way Bash does it

Question

When I use the \"tab\" key in bash (when you have started to type the filename and you want it to complete), bash escapes the filename correctly, a

Answer 1

The solution from "sehe" works fine, in addition, you can also use double quotes (") instead of single apostrophe (') to by able to use variables:

x="a real \good %* load of crap from ${USER}"
echo $(printf '%q' "$x")

Of course the string may not contain $ or " itself or you have to escape those manulally by splash \$.