Heres my little problem...

export TODAY_DATE=`date +%Y%m%d`

echo "Enter the name of todays file: \c"
read filename
if [ ! -r "$filename" ];then
echo "Bad file name, Exiting!"
exit 1
fi

The user inputs the following: /home/dir/file_${TODAY_DATE}.log

How can I get the date variable to hold in the user input and be read within the script???

Thanks for any help

dude, you need to explain exactly what you want man, you want the user to input file_DATE.log? do you want to process only files that have the current date? are the files being read all beginning with "file_" and ending with ".log"? etc, etc.

ok so basically when I run the script it will ask me a question. I enter in a file name which has a variable of ${TODAY_DATE}. It reads that file and then does the test if its a readable file, if so then blah blah blah and if not exit with a 1.

BUT

When this is executed it does not capture the date string in the "read" user input section it only reads ${TODAY_DATE} not `date +%Y%m%d`

How can I get this to work?

the correct "if" statement using "sh -x" to debug it should go something like:

if [ ! -r /home/dir/file_20081015.log ]

but it looks like:

if [ ! -r ${TODAY_DATE} ]

The variable isnt being read only the word is captured. I hope you can understand. Its tricky to describe.

Rgds

Try:
filename=$(eval echo $filename)
before:
if [ ! -r "$filename" ];then