Can anyone explain why the following doesn't work please?
list
the letter is d
the number is 4
the number is 2
the letter is g
script.sh
#!/bin/bash
cat "$1" | grep letter | array=($(awk '{print $4}'))
for i in "${array[@]}"
do
:
echo $i
done
If I run this bash script.sh list I expect the array to print d and g, but it doesn't. I think its because of how I am trying to set the array.
I think its because of how I am trying to set the array.
Each command in a pipeline | is run in a subshell - as a separate process. The parent process does not "see" variable changes from a child process.
Just:
array=($(grep letter "$1" | awk '{print $4}'))
or
array=($(awk '/letter/{print $4}' "$1"))
Run variable assignment in the parent shell.
You should assign the complete row of piped commands to a variable.
array=($(cat "$1" | grep letter | awk '{print $4}'))
The cat and grep command can be combined with awk, but why do you want an array?
I think you want the process each element in one loop, so first remove the double quotes:
for i in ${array[@]}
do
:
echo $i
done
Next, try to do this without an array
while read -r i; do
:
echo $i
done < <(awk '/letter/ {print $4}' "$1")
