#!/bin/bash
#####################################
#Variable Declaration
#####################################

CURPATH=`dirname $0`

There's no need to use dirname in bash (or any POSIX shell); use parameter expansion:

Code:

CURPATH=${0##*/}

(But there's rarely a good reason to require the location of the script.)

DEEP=$CURPATH/depth.txt

export $DEEP

Code:

export DEEP

Why are you exporting DEEP? Are you calling another script that will need it?

function getdepth()

That is a bash hybrid, a combination of ksh syntax and standard syntax. Use standard syntax:

Code:

getdepth()

{

  echo $DEEP

  cat $1  | egrep ^${2} | awk -vgroup=$1 -vdepth=$DEEP -F, '

UUOC

  {
      #Bunch of stuff that works when I hardcode it, but fails with the variable.

What "stuff"? If that's where it fails, that's what you should be posting.

  }'
}


######
# Main block
######

getdepth some_file some_element

export DEEP=$CURPATH/depth.txt.