Shell Programming and Scripting

The sample error at the

if ( '$COLUMN2' =! /-/ ){

else if ( '$COLUMN2' ~ "-" ){


awk: cmd. line:3: if ( =! /-/ ){
awk: cmd. line:3: ^ syntax error
awk: cmd. line:3: if ( =! /-/ ){
awk: cmd. line:3: ^ syntax error
awk: cmd. line:28: else if ( ~ "-" ){

Please let me know if you want the entire code, that was bit modified from my earlier post.

echo '1,2,3,-,5' | awk -F, '{if($4="-") print "dash in 4"}'

Thank you for your reply. Please note that I need to use a shell variable that contains the value of "-" to use it inside awk script. I can not use $4 directly. I need to use a shell variable, say column4 as '$column4' inside the awk. That's where I am getiing issue.

Please use Forums' "Search" - similar questions have been asked/answered a number of times.

echo "1,2,3,-,5" | awk -F, '{if($4=="-") {print "dash in 4"}}'

Hello,

You have to pass the column variable as an argument to awk.

Regards,
Thobias

I got it. Thanks.

BTW. How to increment the shell variable inside awk.