#!/usr/bin/env ksh

# @(#) s1       Demonstrate similarities, ksh: typeset, bash: printf.

set -o nounset
echo

## Use local command version for the commands in this demonstration.

echo "ksh version = $KSH_VERSION"
bash --version | head -1
printf --version | head -1

echo

typeset -L10 L10="12345"
typeset -R10 R10="abcde"

echo " ksh with typeset:"
echo "L10 is $L10"
echo "R10 is $R10"

echo
echo " bash with printf:"
bash <<'EOF'
left="12345"
righ="abcde"

printf "left is %-10s\n" $left
printf "righ is %10s\n" $righ
EOF

exit 0

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ian_H I'm trying to get some scripts working using bash which were written in ksh and I'm struggling with typeset. Specifically typeset -R and typeset -L. We need fixed length variables with left and right justification and bash does not seem to do it. Spent ages on Google and just seem to be getting nowhere

Generally, you shouldn't use fixed width variables; rather you should specify the widths when you print them (using printf).

However, if you really do need them, you can still use printf:

Code:

var1=$( printf "%5s" "$value" )  ## Flush right
var2=$( printf "%-5s" "$value" ) ## Flush left