another simple unix scripting question! storing values in variables
 

how can I store the results of commands, for example if wc -l returns 6, how can I store the value into a variable in a unix script? thanks LQ!!

Try backquotes, e.g.
RESULT=`cat my_file.txt | wc -l`

or use the $() construct:I find this more readable and easier to debug.
That's a UUOC - wc will take a file as input, no need to spawn a separate instance of cat :)

I do appreciate both of you for your kind response, and pwc is the winner this time!! :) pwc's method worked.

m0rg's method stores "cat file|wc -l" the command into the variable. The content of the variable becomes the "cat file|wc -l" not the result of the command.

Also,

is better than cat file|wc -l will save 7 into the variable, and wc -l file will save "7 file" into the variable

In which case, to avoid using a cat command (which can take a very long time on its own), it's better to use the < redirect, which has the parallel advantages of avoiding the filename becoming part of the output and the unnecessary use of cat:Also, make sure you use backticks (on my keyboard it's the key above the tab key) _not_ apostrophes or quotes. Backticks have exactly the same effect as $().