[NTLUG:Discuss] bash question...beating a dead horse...

[kbrannen@gte.net]

Fred James wrote:

...
> 
> So, if the counter in the second loop is lost outside that loop because 
> the loop is executed in a subscript (is that the explanation?):


Yes.


> (1) How could I get the value of the counter for use after the second 
> loop competes?


Count=0
while read animal color
do
     echo "Inside second loop: animal:$animal color:$color $Count"
     Count=`expr $Count + 1`
done < fun.txt
#    ^^^^^^^^^
echo "Outside second loop animal:$animal color:$color $Count"


> (2) If I assigned the values read into an array, would the contents of 
> the array be available after the loop completes - if not normally, is 
> there a way to do so?


I don't think so, for the same reason you're having to begin with.

Normally, you'd want to return the "values you're read", and capture those 
into a variable.  The simple example is:

x=`wc fun.txt`    # note, those are back-ticks around the command
echo $x           # gives "       4       4      19 fun.txt"

There's probably a way to do what you want in a generic fashion, but I don't 
know of one.

Do you have to use bash?  Perl would handle this easily. (if you know Perl :-)

Kevin


> 
> Thanks in advance for your thoughts and efforts.
> 
> 
> Script file:
> ==========
> #! /bin/bash
> # count.sh
> 
...
> 
> Count=0
> cat fun.txt | while read animal color
> do
>     echo "Inside second loop: animal:$animal color:$color $Count"
>     Count=`expr $Count + 1`
> done
> echo "Outside second loop animal:$animal color:$color $Count"
...