Storing USB device name in separate variables dynamically.

kushalkoolwal · 01-28-2009, 09:05 PM

hi,

I am trying to write a bash shell script to detect USB devices (hard drives) on my Debian Lenny system. This is how I am trying to detect USB devices:

Code:

#!/bin/bash

echo "Finding USB devices. Please wait..."

find /dev/disk/by-path/ -type l -iname \*usb\*scsi\* -print0|xargs -0 -iD readlink -f D

exit 0

The output of the above "find" commands gives me something like this:

Code:

/dev/sda1
/dev/sda5
/dev/sda2
/dev/sda
/dev/sdb5
/dev/sdb2
/dev/sdb1
/dev/sdb

I would like to achieve the following two things:
1. I just want:

Code:

/dev/sda
/dev/sdb

from the above output to be stored in two variables say:

Code:

USB_DEVICE_1 = /dev/sda
USB_DEVICE_2 = /dev/sdb

2. Also this process should be dynamic. For example, if there are 3 USB devices instead of the two (like above) then my shell script should store something like this:

Code:

USB_DEVICE_1 = /dev/sda
USB_DEVICE_2 = /dev/sdb
USB_DEVICE_3 = /dev/sdc

For just 1 USB device attached to the system:

Code:

USB_DEVICE_1 = /dev/sda

I am assuming some kind of "for" loop will be required but I am not sure how to do that.

Thanks

burschik · 01-29-2009, 01:38 AM

Code:

array=($(find whatever | grep -v '[0-9]'))
echo ${array[1]}
-> /dev/sdb

kushalkoolwal · 01-29-2009, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by burschik

Code:

array=($(find whatever | grep -v '[0-9]'))
echo ${array[1]}
-> /dev/sdb

I think that works. Thanks.