Very Computer

I'm trying to write a script and in it I need to use a local variable that
I define and I need to set the value of this variable to the value of the
first line of a file.

I can get the first line of a file by typing:

head -1 filename

...and  it outputs to my screen the first line of the file.  But how do I
assign that output to the value of a variable?

I've tried things like:

head -1 filename > $variablename

set variablename < head -1 filename

I've also tried this:

export variablename=`head -1 filename`

...but I get a permission denied error and the man pages show nothing for
"export".

None of the above works.  Any ideas?  (BTW - we are running DG/UX on a Data
General AViiON.)

Any help is greatly appreciated!  Thanks!

--
Matt Brennan
SQL*Tools Specialist
GERS Retail Systems
9725-C Scranton Road
San Diego, California 92121
1-800-854-2263

Quote:> I'm trying to write a script and in it I need to use a local variable that
> I define and I need to set the value of this variable to the value of the
> first line of a file.

> I can get the first line of a file by typing:

> head -1 filename

> ...and  it outputs to my screen the first line of the file.  But how do I
> assign that output to the value of a variable?

try:

        export variable=$( head -1 filename )

        OR

        export variable=`head -1 filename`

Quote:> Any help is greatly appreciated!  Thanks!

Tony