Shell Programming and Scripting

sdcprd@dotstoas110:$ echo $F2
1327332411

this works
----------
sdcprd@dotstoas110:$ perl -MPOSIX -le 'print strftime ("%m%d%y",localtime (1327332411))'
012312 <<<< correct date


this doesnt
-----------
sdcprd@dotstoas110:$ perl -MPOSIX -le 'print strftime ("%m%d%y",localtime ($F2))'
123169
sdcprd@dotstoas110:$ perl -MPOSIX -le 'print strftime ("%m%d%y",localtime (${F2}))'
123169

how can i use variable in this perl expression ?

thanks

Moderator's Comments:

Please use next time code tags for your code and data

Variables do not expand inside single quotes in the shell.

Code:

$ VAR="1234"
$ echo '$VAR'
$VAR
$ echo "$VAR"
1234
$

So put your perl expression in double quotes.

You'll have to escape the double quotes inside your perl like \" otherwise the shell will consider them the end of the string. Other than that I don't see anything the shell will mangle.

iam not sure i understand you can you please modify this command to act properly ?

Code:

var=`perl -MPOSIX -le 'print strftime ("%m%d%y",localtime ($F2))'`

thanks

Moderator's Comments:

Please use next time code tags for your code and data

---------- Post updated at 11:18 AM ---------- Previous update was at 11:06 AM ----------

I tried this , didnt work

sdcprd@dotstoas110:$ perl -MPOSIX -le 'print strftime ("%m%d%y",localtime ("${F2}"))'
123169

---------- Post updated at 11:20 AM ---------- Previous update was at 11:18 AM ----------

also escaping the variable didnt work

sdcprd@dotstoas110:$ perl -MPOSIX -le 'print strftime ("%m%d%y",localtime ("$\F2"))'
123169

When hitting the ' key, hit shift so it becomes " instead.

Things inside " quotes expand in the shell, things inside ' don't. That's what I demonstrated.

Your variable will never expand in there because you put it in ' quotes.

$F2 is not a perl variable, It's in the parent shell, you need to export it and use $ENV{F2} to refer to it in Perl

Or you could just use double quotes like I said twice...

can anyone give me the syntax please ? I am new to unix scripting and struggling .

---------- Post updated at 12:17 PM ---------- Previous update was at 12:00 PM ----------

Corona I heard you say twice but iam not understanding where to put quotes can you please show me ?

---------- Post updated at 12:24 PM ---------- Previous update was at 12:17 PM ----------

SKyrynsaver: How can i evaluate the variable n use it inside perl ?

if you can point it out with my command that iam trying to use

thanks

---------- Post updated at 12:24 PM ---------- Previous update was at 12:24 PM ----------

SKyrynsaver: How can i evaluate the variable n use it inside perl ?

if you can point it out with my command that iam trying to use

thanks