Shell Programming and Scripting

Hi all,

I've a requirement as below

Source file src.txt sample data:

A<10 white spaces>B12<5 white spaces>C<17 white spaces>
A1<5 white spaces>B22<5 white spaces>C13<17 white spaces>

when I'm fetching a record from this file into a shell variable like below:
vRec=`head -1 src.txt |tail -1`

the record stored in variable as below
echo $vRec
A<single white space>B12<single white space>C<no white spaces>

Hence all the white spaces in between characters are trimmed to a single white space and all the white spaces at the end of the record are trimmed.

Please let me know if there is any way to retain these spaces in the unix shell variable.

Regards,
Madhu

The spaces actually are present in your variable. You don't see them, because of this:

Code:

 echo $vRec

You will see them, if you do:

Code:

 echo "$vRec"

Please use code tags when posting code or sample input/output.

Mirni: Thanks a lottttt!!!!!! Its working.