Shell Programming and Scripting

Strange. I'd like to know what the values of F and N are before that. So insert this line before the problematic one

Code:

echo "F='$F' - N='$N'"

F='99_REPORT_2222' - N='CARSBLU'
./testscript[8]: NEW=${F:0:9}.${N}${F:9}: bad substitution

That's right, I don't have the same problem what we can do ist to find what expression gives you that error so comment that line

Code:

# NEW=${F:0:9}.${N}${F:9}

and put this under to see what happens :

Code:

echo ${F:0:9}
echo ${F:9}

what shell you are using, is it csh?...in frans posts it seems either bash or ksh

I am using ksh according to the command ps -p $$. This is an AIX 5.3 TL 11 box not sure if that helps with anything

Code:

NEW=${F:0:9}.${N}${F:9}

Try wrapping this in quotes like:

Code:

NEW="${F:0:9}.${N}${F:9}"

root@testbox:/testscript # ./testscript
F='99_REPORT_2222' - N='CARSBLU'
./testscript[8]: NEW="${F:0:9}.${N}${F:9}": bad substitution

I put it on quotes and received that, however if anyone does mind can they explan what exactly the 0:9 is doing? I might be able to play with it a bit more if I understood that part of it.

Thanks

---------- Post updated at 11:29 PM ---------- Previous update was at 11:24 PM ----------

I just saw your post, I did the
echo ${F:0:9} and the
echo ${F:9} one at a time but they are both giving the error bad substitution.

It just seems to end the script once it hits that error.