Hi Scrutinizer...
Many thanks for your post I will try your latest method this evening.

In the meantime......

I have an idea for a floating point sleep replacement using sleep.
Apart from the pseudo-code initialise something; while test something; do something_else; increment something; done ,
is there a POSIX equivalent to the BASIC form of 'FOR' loop without using seq :-

Code:

FOR n = number1 TO number2
[do something......]
NEXT

Again I have not found anything on the Interwebs.
Putting 'number1 TO number2' as a list works for small numbers say '1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10' but just imagine if that was '1 to 1000'.

It amazes me that this absolutely minmal use of posix 'for' loop is not catered for.
As I have written above I could use a 'while' loop which could inculde a pseud-STEP subcommand but this will need an initialisation line per call, easy yes, but a PITA.
It must be the way I search... ;o/

TIA.