I have a file in which the data is 35 90 45 89 wat happens is wen i am using a =f$element(0," ",string) b =f$element(1," ",string) i get a = 35 and b=90 but later while reading the second line it takes the blank line and computes for that too. a =" " b=" " How do i validate the end of line or blank space .pls let me know the equivalent end of line character . Shari

Sharitha, From the way you phrased the question, it seems clear this time that you are using DCL. The READ command that you are using has an /END=label option (a full description can be found in the HELP text under HELP READ). When you get an end of file, control will transfer to the label specified in the /END option. - Bob

You have to start by verifying an empty string or not. $10: $ READ/END=EOF infile string $ if string .eqs. "" then goto 10 $ A=........ $ B=........ $ goto 10 $EOF: $ close infile

thanks it was very usefull I have another doubt hi, I trying to write the following sql script for one of my application !the file script.com select bcci.id, max(bcci.no) from info bci,inf bcci where bci.no= '&1' run the script.com with parameters as follows sqlplus / @script 11 it's giving the exact output that i needed but with two lines in the begining as follows old 3: where bci.no= '&1' new 3: where bci.no= '11' but i dont want this two lines, because it is difficult to read the required data from the file. could any of you suggest how to suppress those two line so that i can get only the query output Shari

Sorry......sql is not my cup of tea.

<quote> !the file script.com select bcci.id, max(bcci.no) from info bci,inf bcci where bci.no= '&1' </quote> No DCL, but SQL. Quite a different matter. I would chnage the whole issue to: $!the file script.com $ $ SQL select bcci.id, max(bcci.no) from info bci,inf bcci where bci.no= "''P1'" $! Willem Grooters