Shell Programming and Scripting

Hi everybody,

I have a problem while using oracle sqlldr in unix.
I get a .dat file through SFTP and placed at some location.I need to write a shell script to pick the .dat file dynamically what ever the full name so that i can refer this .dat file in my sqlldr control file.

eg:
abcd_sysdate_timestamp.dat is the file format.
abcd_20090524_193545.dat a sample example.I need a shell script to dynamically pick the file. The file doesent come periodically.It may come any time with that days date and time,so irrespective of the time,date and format my shell script has to pick this .dat file format and place it in sqlldr control file.So that control file can load it into the database.Please respond with any suggestions and answers.Awaiting!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks

I think u can use the crontab... crontab is a file that can execute a command in a period... if u put a crontab to execute a shell script that ll copy this data i think ll work...
I am not a expert, but i am doing a think like that in crontab....

some help about crontab:
crontab - Linux Command - Unix Command

I hope this help u,
Diogo

Hi,
I am not expert in script but today i done i script to check online intranet server periodically...
I use the crontab to make it... u can use him to check the folder sometimes and compare with u backup folder if have some new .dat ... also u can use the date function to compare if the name of .dat file is new... date --help to see arguments...
I suggest u to serch in google i little about crontab cuz i think that it is the way to solve u problem...
in another post i comment a little about crontab and how to use...
https://www.unix.com/shell-programmin...ge-device.html

I would rename or copy the .dat file to a fixed name and have that fixed name in the sqlldr control file, instead of regenerating the control file.

To "pick" a file ending in .dat... easy:
FILE=$(echo *.dat)
assuming it is the only file ending in .dat in the current directory.

Code:

recent_file=`ls -lrt *.dat | awk '{ print $9}'`

pass this file name to the sqlldr

This would be more efficient:

Code:

echo *.dat | awk '{print $NF}'

Even more efficient:

Code:

files=$(echo *.dat)
lastfile=${files##* }

Code:

This would be more efficient:
 
 	Code:
 	echo *.dat | awk '{print $NF}'

How ?

how you will get the last created or modified .dat file in the directory by above command ??? if so ???