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Date: Tue, 14 Aug 2001 19:12:14 -0400
From: parv <parv_@yahoo.com>
To: Drew Tomlinson <drewt@writeme.com>
Cc: "FreeBSD Questions (E-mail)" <freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.org>
Subject: Re: Shell Script Help - Comparing Strings
Message-ID: <20010814191214.A55329@moo.holy.cow>
Mail-Followup-To: Drew Tomlinson <drewt@writeme.com>,
	"FreeBSD Questions (E-mail)" <freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.org>
References: <5CD46247635BD511B6B100A0CC3F023925A069@ldcmsx01.lc.ca.gov>
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In-Reply-To: <5CD46247635BD511B6B100A0CC3F023925A069@ldcmsx01.lc.ca.gov>; from drewt@writeme.com on Tue, Aug 14, 2001 at 03:43:31PM -0700
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this was, on the fateful occasion around Aug 14 18:43 -0400,
sent by Drew Tomlinson                                               
>
> As I continue in writing my first shell script, I can't figure out how to
> compare strings properly.  For example, I want to run my script and pass an
> argument to it from the command line.  However, if this argument is not
> passed, then I want to set it to a defined value.  I'm trying to use the if
> statement for this.  Here's a clip of my code:
> 
> #! /bin/sh -vx
> 
> #  8/8/01
> #  An attempt to write script to run webalizer to generate web stats for all
> #  virtual web sites.
> 
> #  Set command line variables.  $1 = web to run.
> 
> #  Set $1 to "www" if blank.
> echo $1
> if ["$1"=""]
>   then $1 = "www"
> fi
...

> echo $1
> + echo test
> test
> if ["$1"=""]
>   then $1 = "www"
> fi
> + [test=]
> [test=]: not found
...

you need to add spaces between test operators...

if [ "$1"="" ]  # notice the difference
then
 $1="www"
fi

...but i would test the number of arguments, and set a non positional 
variable instead...

case $# in
 0)
 suffix=www
 ;;

 *)
 suffix=$1
 ;;
esac

...but still better alternative, would be...

suffix=${1:-www}

-- 
 so, do you like word games or scrabble?
	 - parv

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