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expr: non-numeric argument

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# 1  
Old 07-14-2010
expr: non-numeric argument
Hi all,

i am facing the error "expr: non-numeric argument" when i use the expr command.

Following is the expression which i want to execute

Code:
HR=$(echo `date +%H`)
MIN=$(echo `date +%M`)
TOT_MIN=`expr "$HR" \* 60+$MIN` | bc
echo $TOT_MIN

Here I am being reported with the error expr: non-numeric argument.
when i use bc i get the standard parse error. Smilie
Please help me how to get rid of these errors.

Thanks in advance!!! Smilie
Last edited by pludi; 07-14-2010 at 06:33 AM..
# 2  
Old 07-14-2010
Code:
HR=$(echo `date +%H`)
MIN=$(echo `date +%M`)
TOT_MIN=`expr "$HR" \* 60 + $MIN | bc`
echo $TOT_MIN

# 3  
Old 07-14-2010
The closing backtick must be at the end of the line. Replace this:
Code:
TOT_MIN=`expr "$HR" \* 60+$MIN` | bc

with:
Code:
TOT_MIN=`expr $HR \* 60 + $MIN | bc`

# 4  
Old 07-14-2010
Quote:
Originally Posted by Franklin52
The closing backtick must be at the end of the line
Not if you do this (as I just did by accident!)

Code:
TOT_MIN=`expr "$HR \* 60+$MIN` | bc

There's no floating point stuff here, so I would get rid of bc and expr:

Code:
TOT_MIN=$(($HR * 60 + $MIN))

# 5  
Old 07-14-2010
typeset is also an alternative,

Code:
typeset -i HR MIN TOT_MIN
HR=$(date +%H)
MIN=$(date +%M)
TOT_MIN=$HR*60+$MIN

# 6  
Old 07-14-2010
Quote:
Originally Posted by scottn
Not if you do this (as I just did by accident!)

Code:
TOT_MIN=`expr "$HR \* 60+$MIN` | bc

There's no floating point stuff here, so I would get rid of bc and expr:

Code:
TOT_MIN=$(($HR * 60 + $MIN))

Good point, Thanks!
# 7  
Old 07-14-2010
Thanks everybody.. It helped Smilie
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