how to check string of character

manas_ranjan · #1 (**permalink**) 10-05-2007

how can i check whether variable contains only character from a-z or A-Z....if my variable contains any alpha numeric, numeric or any character with some special one i.e. *%&@! etcetera etcetera....then it should show me please enter only characters......

Let my variable
var1="abc77}|"

then it should show me "please enter valid character"

vino · #2 (**permalink**) 10-05-2007

Here are a couple of threads which turned up using the search feature. Do use the search feature.

How to check whether a string is number or not
String Validation program
ksh : find value type

manas_ranjan · #3 (**permalink**) 10-05-2007

hey vino..thanx a lot.......
but neither of the commands are working perfectly for me........in bash
thing is i should allow only those variable which are string...i.e. contains only character....

vino · #4 (**permalink**) 10-05-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by manas_ranjan

hey vino..thanx a lot.......
but neither of the commands are working perfectly for me........in bash
thing is i should allow only those variable which are string...i.e. contains only character....

Those links were meant to be a starting point. I think you understood the code snippets in each. Try to write one based on your understanding. And the when you face an issue, post the code you have so that we can help you better.

manas_ranjan · #5 (**permalink**) 10-05-2007

hey....vino.....
if i could able to solve on my own..i sudn't post it here....
so help me out...i tried each post provided in replied to this post by you.....but fortunately ya unfortunately...i didn't find a single method..which will help me out in bash .......if you could help me , then please.....

while implying this one....+([a-zA-Z]) , ?(+|-)+([0-9]) and *([0-9]|[a-zA-Z])*...i am getting
-bash: syntax error in conditional expression: unexpected token `('
-bash: syntax error near `+(['

any idea......????

vino · #6 (**permalink**) 10-05-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by manas_ranjan

hey....vino.....
if i could able to solve on my own..i sudn't post it here....

When you face an issue, you show us what you tried, the error that you got and then we would be in a better shape to help you out.

Anyway, this should get you started.

Code:

[/tmp]$ cat try.sh
#! /bin/sh

for sample in abc 123 abc123
do
    if [[ $sample == *[[:alpha:]]* ]] ; then
        echo $sample
    fi;
done
    
[/tmp]$ ./try.sh
abc
abc123
[/tmp]$

I leave the rest to you as an exercise. Look under the section 'Pattern Matching' in the man pages of bash for other character classes.

More UNIX and Linux Forum Topics You Might Find Helpful
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Korn: How to loop through a string character by character	shew01	Shell Programming and Scripting	10	12-02-2008 07:58 AM
bash script to check the first character in string	ole111	Shell Programming and Scripting	2	03-19-2008 12:34 AM
read string, check string length and cut	ozzy80	Shell Programming and Scripting	9	03-21-2007 05:56 PM
converting character string to hex string	axes	High Level Programming	5	09-20-2006 01:04 PM
how to check first character in var's value.	yongho	UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers	7	07-01-2005 11:22 AM

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes	Rate This Thread
Switch to Linear Mode Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode	Rate This Thread:


	Powered by