Hello, Can some one tell me what was wrong with my script? I have file called list cat list s001 v s010 h s999 s ================== here is my script: for i in `cat list` do store=`echo $i |awk '{print $1}'`; ver=`echo $i |awk '{print $2}'`; echo $store; echo $ver; echo $store; echo $ver; #some other command echo "tar.test.backup."$store; echo "tar.test.backup."$ver; done ============================== when I excute this script the result I got like this: s001 s001 tar.test.backup.s001 tar.test.backup. v v tar.test.backup.v tar.test.backup. s010 s010 tar.test.backup.s010 tar.test.backup. s s tar.test.backup.s tar.test.backup. s999 s999 tar.test.backup.s999 tar.test.backup. h h tar.test.backup.h tar.test.backup. ========================= what I am expecting is: s001 v s001 v tar.test.backup.s001 tar.test.backup.v ---------------- s010 h s010 h tar.test.backup.s010 tar.test.backup.h ------------- s999 s s999 s tar.test.backup.s999 tar.test.backup.s ===================== what went wrong eith my script? Please help Thanks in advance

Don't use a for loop to read a file line-by-line. Use the while loop. Since your list file is two fields do this: while read store ver do echo "$store" echo "$ver" done < list The for loop parses on white space which is why you are having the problem. Also, look at this link on UUOC: http://partmaps.org/era/unix/award....

Thanks Nails. the script is working with regular unix command, but when I try to call another script inside the loop , it is not working well again: Here is what I am trying to do: while read store version do copyto $store log_file tar.test.backup.$version >> log_file 2>&1 # this one doesn't work rcp tar.test.backup.$version.Z user@$store:/dir/ #this one is working echo tar.test.backup.$version; done <list what copyto is a simple script which take 3 parameters ($store, log_file, tar_file by $version)basicly just rcp the tar_file to store server, uncompress it, and untar it without copyto line, I got: ( -- correct) s001 tar.test.backup.v s002 tar.test.backup.v s013 tar.test.backup.s s006 tar.test.backup.s s957 tar.test.backup.h s973 tar.test.backup.h ================== with copyto line I got: s001 tar.test.backup.v and the exit the loop. the file is not copied over Can you tell me how can I make this work? Thank you so much

I have no idea. First, I'd verify that the rcp command actually works from the command line. Second, please publish the copyto script, and I might be able to give you an opinion.

Sorry Nails - not provided enough info. Here are the all info: Main script:--test while read store version do echo begin sendto $store log.$store tar.test.backup.$version echo end done <list ========================= cat list s001 v s002 h s003 s ======================== cat copyto store=$1 outfile=$2 while [ "$3" ] do rcp -p $3.Z user@$store:/tmp >>$outfile 2>>$outfile rsh $store -l user "uncompress -f /tmp/$3" >>$outfile 2>>$outfile rsh $store -l user "tar -xvpf /tmp/$3" >>$outfile 2>>$outfile rsh $store -l user "rm /tmp/$3" >>$outfile 2>>$outfile shift done ========================= when I issue command: sh -x test I got the following log info: + read store version + echo begin begin + sendto s001 log.s001 tar.test.backup.v + echo end end + read store version =================== The file did get copied to server s001 and then exit out -- not processing for the rest server BUT if I using rcp it will working fine: Main script-- test1: while read store version do echo begin #sendto $store jms.$store tar.test.backup.$version rcp tar.test.backup.$version.Z user@$store:/tmp/ echo end done <list ================ I got this: + read store version + echo begin begin + rcp tar.test.backup.v.Z user@s001:/tmp/ + echo end end + read store version + echo begin begin + rcp tar.test.backup.h.Z user@s002:/tmp/ + echo end end + read store version + echo begin begin + rcp tar.test.backup.s.Z user@s003:/tmp/ + echo end end + read store version ======================== Hope I have made it clear this time Thanks in advance

It's still hard to say. you appear to be mixing up "sendto" and "copyto"??? If any of your arguments, have spaces, you'll have trouble. Try surrounding your arguments with double quotes. Instead of: sendto $store log.$store tar.test.backup.$version try: sendto "$store" "log.$store" "tar.test.backup.$version" also, maybe the shell is having trouble with the copyto while loop: while [ "$3" ] .. .. shift end while allows you to send more than one 3 arguments. If there are more than 3 arguments, the shift command will shift arg 4 to arg 3 and your loop executes again. Maybe some extra garbage is on the command line and it trys to interpret it and fails. If the problem continues why don't you take your sendto/copyto and embed the rcp/rsh in the original script and don't call the second script?

the copy is just a copy of sendto-- i renamed it for my testing. there is no space in arguments. I guess I'll need take your advice to embed the copyto in my main script. Thanks very much