what is the meaning of "set -- *" and "set -- /"


 
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# 1  
Old 01-11-2010
what is the meaning of "set -- *" and "set -- /"

I am going thru an UNIX article where i found the following commands,

set -- *
files=$#
set -- /
directory=$#
I came to know that these are used to count the number of files & directories, but unable to understand what exactly these commands do.

Can some one explain me what is the actual functions of set, set -- *, set -- /
# 2  
Old 01-11-2010
Hi,

set is a cammand in unix which is def as follows

set, unset, setenv, unsetenv, export - shell built-in func-
tions to determine the characteristics for environmental
variables of the current shell and its descendents

set -- * and set -- / stores the number of files and number of directories in environment variable.

You can check by typing the cammand set it displays on the box as follows

directory=1
files=181
# 3  
Old 01-11-2010
thank u ..
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