positional parameters

J Fitch · #1 (**permalink**) 02-10-04, 16:36

Im writing a script that will read the positional parameters and look for a particular key word. If it finds it, elements to the left of it will be put into an array and elements to the right will be put into a second array.
Any thoughts how I can do this?

aigles · #2 (**permalink**) 02-10-04, 17:24

Try this script (which can be simplified for ksh and perhaps bash) :

Code:

#
# Fill Array1 with parameters to the left of $KEYWORD
#
indx=0
while [ $# -gt 0]
do
    parm="$1"
    shift
    [ "$parm" = "$KEYWORD" ] && break
    Array1[$indx]="$parm"
    indx=`expr $indx + 1`
    shift
done

#
# Fill Array2 with parameters to the right of $KEYWORD
# With Ksh : set -A Array2 "$@"
# With Bash : ?
#
indx=0
while [ $# -gt 0 ]
do
   Array2[$indx]="$1"
   shift
   indx=`expr $indx + 1`
done

J Fitch · #3 (**permalink**) 02-11-04, 10:06

Thank you. I do have a question where in the second part are you checking for the Keyword so elements can be put into a string

# Fill Array2 with parameters to the right of $KEYWORD
# With Ksh : set -A Array2 "$@"
# With Bash : ?
#
indx=0
while [ $# -gt 0 ]
do
Array2[$indx]="$1"
shift
indx=`expr $indx + 1`
done

aigles · #4 (**permalink**) 02-11-04, 10:22

The keyword is tested in the first part (assume variable KEYWORD is set to the value of the keyword) :

[ "$parm" = "$KEYWORD" ] && break

At the start of the second part, the keyword is in variable 'parm' and all the positional parameters up to keyword comprise have been removed.