problem in comparing numeric with string

naren_0101bits · #1 (**permalink**) 01-28-2008

Hi all,

I am having a problem in comparing numeric value with string.
I have a variable in my script which gets the value dynamically. It can be a numeric value or a string. [ FILE_COUNT=5 (or) FILE_COUNT="VARIABLE" ]

I have to do separate task based on its value numeric or sting variable VARIABLE.

I grep FILE_COUNT and obtained the value. But its giving error when i did either
if [ $FILE_COUNT = "VARIABLE" ]
or
if [ $FILE_COUNT -eq "VARIABLE" ]
as it is not two numeric or two string comparisons.

I tried using test also likewise
if [ test $FILE_COUNT = "VARIABLE" ] but invain

I am thinking of using "typeset -i <variable>" concept but it assigns 0 if it is a string and the dynamic value that i receive can also be 0.

So, can you please give me some light in to this issue to let me move forward in this.

Thanks in advance,

Naren

Yogesh Sawant · #2 (**permalink**) 01-28-2008

does this help:

Code:

if [ $FILE_COUNT == "VARIABLE" ] ; then
  echo "is VARIABLE"
else
  echo "is a number"
fi

naren_0101bits · #3 (**permalink**) 01-28-2008

It is still showing the error message using the == operator
expr: 0402-050 Syntax error.

jaduks · #4 (**permalink**) 01-28-2008

The one that yogesh is mentioning above should work for both numeric and string comparison. A different look of the same.

Code:

$ VAR=25
$ [ $VAR == "25" ] && echo "Y" || echo "N"
Y

$ VAR=25A
$ [ $VAR == "25A" ] && echo "Y" || echo "N"
Y

naren_0101bits · #5 (**permalink**) 01-28-2008

You people are right. But what i am trying is not numeric to numeric or string to string comparison. But it is like
$ VAR=25
And i want to check if $VAR is "25A" or not. Likewise
$ if [ $VAR == "25A" ] { .........} else { ..........}

And this is giving error.

KevinADC · #6 (**permalink**) 01-28-2008

maybe something like:

if [[ $VAR == 25* ]]

V3l0 · #7 (**permalink**) 01-29-2008

Code:

#!/bin/sh

export VAR1=$1

export VAR2=`echo $VAR1 | tr '[:lower:]' '[:upper:]' | sed 's/[A-Z]//g'`

echo "VAR1=$VAR1, VAR2=$VAR2"

if [ x"$VAR1" != x"$VAR2" ]
then
        echo "VARIABLE !!!"
else
        echo "NUMERIC !!!"
fi

Code:

./titi 2634
VAR1=2634, VAR2=2634
NUMERIC !!!

./titi 2634Bhj
VAR1=2634Bhj, VAR2=2634
VARIABLE !!!

./titi 26efg34Bhj
VAR1=26efg34Bhj, VAR2=2634
VARIABLE !!!

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