dynamically creating a variable name - Shell Programming and Scripting

hsahay · #1 05-31-2005

Hi !

I have the following situation -

##First variable
variableA=JOB_A

##bunch of other variable
JOB_A_RESTART=cleanupJobA
JOB_B_RESTART=cleanupJobB
JOB_C_RESTART=cleanupJobC

now i need a script which would -

1. take the first variable
2. create a new variable name dynamically by appending "_RESTART" to the VALUE of the first variable.
for example if variableA=JOB_B then
the name of the new variable would be JOB_B_RESTART
3. give me the VALUE (not name) of the newly created variable. For example the value of JOB_B_RESTART would be cleanupJobB.

I have been able to reach so far as step 2 but i have not been able to get the value of the newly created variable.

My code is given below -

variableA=JOB_A
newVar=${variableA}_RESTART
echo $newVar

this last line echos "JOB_A_RESTART" whereas i want it to echo "cleanupJobA". Please helppppppppp ....

thanks

tmarikle · #2 05-31-2005

Here is my similar question where vgersh99 provided this answer:

Code:

#!/bin/ksh

x=TESTVAR2

eval export "${x}_stdout=3"

print $TESTVAR2_stdout

# results in print $TESTVAR2_stdout
eval "print \$${x}_stdout"

So, yours should equate to this:

Code:

eval "newVar=\$${variableA}_RESTART"

Thomas

hsahay · #3 05-31-2005

that worked...thank you Thomas :-)

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