using variable in a command [SOLVED}

Eppo · 04-14-2011, 12:48 PM

i'm trying to execute a shell script, i'm trying to use the values in an array for use in a sed command:
sed -n '/Sales ID: ${array[$i]}/,/Totals:/p'
that command creates empty files. so my guess is that its not recognizing the array as an array but as text?
how would i be able to utilize the array in the command?
thanks

i got it, didnt think that if i doubled up the single quotes that it would work, but this worked:

sed -n '/Sales ID: '${array[$i]'}/,/Totals:/p'

paulsm4 · 04-14-2011, 01:54 PM

Hi -

Q: Are you sure this is quoted correctly?

Code:

sed -n '/Sales ID: '${array[$i]'}/,/Totals:/p'

Anyway, you might also wish to try double-quotes. For example:

Code:

sed -n "/Sales ID: ${array[$i]}/,/Totals:/p"

MTK358 · 04-14-2011, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eppo

i got it, didnt think that if i doubled up the single quotes that it would work, but this worked:

sed -n '/Sales ID: '${array[$i]'}/,/Totals:/p'

Of course it would work: The quote ends the text, then you get the value of the array, then the next quote starts the text again. In bash, when strings are stuck together with no spaces in between, they are combined into one. (I hope that the fact that the right curly brace is after the quote mark is a mistake)

Anyway, mark the thread as solved.

Eppo · 04-14-2011, 03:31 PM

i didn't think that it would work only because the single quotes are used in the command, so if i broke it up it would think it was the next parameter for the command and error out. but it does work.... you learn something new every day.

MTK358 · 04-14-2011, 03:38 PM

Mark the thread as solved.