I need to sort an input file that the user can specify.
1: Ask the user for the name of the file
2: Verify that the file exists and is readable
3: issue a message if it's not readable
4: sort the input file by zip code, then last name, then first name.
5: then use awk to print the sorted file

I can't figure this out for teh life of me. I'm new to unix scrips. Here is what I tried so far

echo "Enter a filename :"
read filename
echo $filename
if test ! -r $filename
then
if test "$WARN" = "yes"
then
echo "$filename does not exist"
fi
fi
sort +8n address.data > sorted address.data

the above doesn't seem to send a warning no matter what filename is input. I also haven't been able to figure out how to read the input file. Any help would be appreciated

I take it you have WARN set to "yes" somewhere else in your script or environment?

Better way of reading in a filename:

The command to call the shell should be:
shellname inputfilename

in other words, have the user list the filename right after the shell script call. If your shell is called command.ksh, then have the user do this:

command.ksh filename_to_read_in

Inside the script, use the variable $1 to capture the filename, i.e.
inputfile=$1

Now, you have the input file in your shell var.
You can use
if ( -e $1 ); then

do something

else
create error msg

fi

Do a "man test" to see the -e definition.