Still can't get this to work: This is what I am trying to do 1) The fist file I am looking for is in this directory: xnet-stc/int/exe_inbound/history (There will always be a file) The search term would be exe_act*.dat with the current days timestamp only. Otherwise it will pick up all the exe_act* files in the history directory. I do a word count on it to get the number of lines only and put that into a variable. 2) The next 3 files are in the directory stc-sap/int/exe_inbound so I need to change the path(which is not a problem so far) 3) Then I need to do a word count for number of lines only on exe_gr*.tmp exe_rtv*.tmp exe_invadj*.tmp and put those into variables(or one variable?) ********The problem here is there are days when not all three files will be there so I need to do a find first I guess and return a count of zero, or return nothing if the file is not there. (initialize to zero?)********* Then I need to add the wordcount from the 3 files(or1 or 2, whatever is there) and put into a variable(or whatever is easiest) Then I need to compare the wc in the variables from step 1 and step 3. If they match, exit and end. If they do not match: delete exe_gr*.tmp exe_rtv*.tmp exe_invadj*.tmp (that is ok since I am in that directory still) Then I would need to move up to xnet-stc/int/exe_inbound/history and somehow take the exe-act*.dat file that I did the wordcount on and move it up one directory to xnet-stc/int/exe_inbound and rename the file extension from .dat to .tmp Then exit and end I seem to be having a problem with the move I can get it to delete the other files but that's it! Can anyone help? I thought this would be simple for me but I guess I am such a beginner that it is making me crazy! Thank in advance

include your script

cd xnet-stc/int/exe_inbound/history echo "Displaying list of activity files for DC4" TEST=`find exe_act_0004* -mtime -1` echo $TEST read ANS? ACT=`wc $TEST | cut -c7-12` echo $ACT echo "===========================" cd cd stc-sap/int/exe_inbound/ echo "Displaying Word Count for Goods Receipt File" wc exe_gr*.tmp echo "Displaying Word Count for RTV File" wc exe_rtv*.tmp echo "Displaying Word Count for Inventory Adjustment File" wc exe_invadj*.tmp read ANS? GR=`wc exe_gr*.tmp | cut -c5-11` echo $GR RTV=`wc exe_rtv*.tmp | cut -c5-11` echo $RTV INV=`wc exe_invadj*.tmp | cut -c5-11` echo $INV let A=GR+RTV+INV echo "=============================================" echo $A echo "Do the files sizes match?" read A ACT if [ A = ACT ] then echo "Yes,the file sizes match" #exit 0 elif [ A != ACT ] then echo "No, the file sizes don't match." echo "Do you wish to re-process?" echo "Input y for yes or n for no:\c" read answer if [ answer=Y ] then rm exe_gr*.tmp rm exe_rtv*.tmp rm exe_invadj*.tmp cd cd xnet-stc/int/exe_inbound/history mv $TEST .. /exe_act_0004.tmp else echo "Goodbye" #exit 0 #fi fi fi

Can someone help me please?

Your whole script required to be rewritten. Nothing seems to be okay in it will require time. Will try to do it in next sitting.

ok thanks i thought some of it was ok ?