Very Computer

Hi all,

I'm new to writing scripts and I want to create a Shell Function within a
script as follows:-

recno()
{
        SQL << DONE > /dev/null 2>&1
                lines 0
                select count(*) from TablStat
                where TableID=$1
                into $TMPFILE
                /
        DONE
        <$TMPFILE read para1
        para1=`expr $para1`
        /bin/rm/ -f $TMPFILE

Quote:}

The above produces the error "syntax error at line 28 : `{' unmatched" when
the script is run as it does not understand the SQL statements.

If anyone can help with the problem it would be appreciated.

Thanks,
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Quote:> I'm new to writing scripts and I want to create
> a Shell Function within a script as follows:-

> recno()
> {
>         SQL << DONE > /dev/null 2>&1
>                 lines 0
>                 select count(*) from TablStat
>                 where TableID=$1
>                 into $TMPFILE
>                 /
>         DONE
>         <$TMPFILE read para1

          ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Woah!  This is cool!  I'd never seen this before.
At first I thought this was an error, but it works!

Quote:>         para1=`expr $para1`
>         /bin/rm/ -f $TMPFILE
> }

When using here documents, put your end marker in
column 1.  Ie,

  recno()
  {
          SQL << DONE > /dev/null 2>&1
          [snip]
  DONE
  }

The shell wants the end marker literally on a line
all by itself, spaces included.  So, if you say,

  cat << "  EOF"
  hello world
    EOF

this works!

Note how I have 2 spaces in front of EOF on the
trailing marker line.  The shell identifies the
trailing marker line based upon a line by line
EXACT comparison with the marker after the <<.

The shell wants an EXACT match; so leading spaces
and trailing spaces are VERY significant on the
line containing your end marker.

Quote:> The above produces the error
> "syntax error at line 28 : `{' unmatched"
> when the script is run as it does not understand
> the SQL statements.

In your example snippet, the end marker is not
found, so as far as shell is concerned the { is
never closed, and thus your error.

--
David Thompson

[snip]

Sorry, after reading my reply, I realized the
form <<- might be useful to you.  But, beware,
it requires using actual <TAB> characters.

I don't use this form because I use vim's
expandtab option to convert tabs to spaces.

Quote:> recno()
> {
>         SQL << DONE > /dev/null 2>&1

              ^^
There is another way to do this, use <<-, ie,
append - after the <<, this allows tabs to be
used in in front of DONE below.

Quote:>                 lines 0
>                 select count(*) from TablStat
>                 where TableID=$1
>                 into $TMPFILE
>                 /
>         DONE

 ^^^^^^^^^
These must be a tab characters.

Quote:>         <$TMPFILE read para1
>         para1=`expr $para1`
>         /bin/rm/ -f $TMPFILE
> }

man sh
man ksh
man bash

--
David Thompson

David,

Thanks very much for your help it was greatly appreciated and very helpful.

Thanks,
Greg
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