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Old 10-30-2007, 09:45 AM   #1
christianunix
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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!!
 
Old 10-30-2007, 09:55 AM   #2
m0rg
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Try backquotes, e.g.
RESULT=`cat my_file.txt | wc -l`
 
Old 10-30-2007, 10:04 AM   #3
pwc101
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or use the $() construct:
Code:
RESULT=$(wc -l my_file.txt)
I find this more readable and easier to debug.
Quote:
Originally Posted by m0rg
RESULT=`cat my_file.txt | wc -l`
That's a UUOC - wc will take a file as input, no need to spawn a separate instance of cat
 
Old 10-30-2007, 12:54 PM   #4
christianunix
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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,

Code:
result=$(cat file|wc -l)
is better than
Code:
result=$(wc -l file)
cat file|wc -l will save 7 into the variable, and wc -l file will save "7 file" into the variable

Last edited by christianunix; 10-30-2007 at 12:58 PM.
 
Old 10-30-2007, 01:13 PM   #5
pwc101
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Quote:
Originally Posted by christianunix View Post
Also,

Code:
result=$(cat file|wc -l)
is better than
Code:
result=$(wc -l file)
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:
Code:
RESULT=$(wc -l < file)
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 $().
 
  


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