Hi mate,
I have modified my script , after your suggestion.

I guess the specific issue for me is the 'parameterization' of the shell script arguments thru a local variable 'index' .is there an alternative to this.

for example : how do i get the argument value of the 'n'th argument to the shell script .

can you address this problem .

Thanks
srinivas



set -x

tot_params=$#
echo "The number of parameters supplied = $tot_params"

dir_params=`expr $# - 1`
echo "The number of dir file names supplied = $dir_params"

#index initialization

index=1

# at least two parameters to be supplied

if test $# -lt 2
then
echo "Please enter at least one directory name parameter and one sort parameter"
exit 1
else
# loop thru the all the directories
# listing the file names
# in ascending or descending order

while test $index -le $tot_params
do
file_name = $($index)

# sort parameter is 'ascending'

if test $# = asc
then
if test -d $file_name
then
echo "listing the files in ascending order....."
ls -l $file_name
index=`expr $index+1`
else
echo "$file_name is not a directory"
exit 1
fi

# sort parameter is 'descending'

elif test $# = dsc
then
echo "File Listing in Descending Order"
if test -d $file_name
then
echo "listing the files in descending order..."
ls -lr $file_name
index=`expr $index+1`
else
echo "$file_name is not a directory"
exit 1
fi

# incorrect sort parameter supplied

else
echo "The Sort argument is $($#)"
echo "The Directory File name is $($index)"
echo "The supplied sort parameter is incorrect"
exit 1
fi
done

fi


if test $? -ne 0
then
echo "sorry..something gone amiss!!!"
else
echo "success"
fi