Shell Programming and Scripting

I think you're overthinking it a bit. The quotes join things together. If you don't want them joined, don't put them in quotes.

Put your expressions in double quotes.

Code:

sed -e '/./{H;$!d;}' "-e "x;/$string1/!d;" -e "x;/$string2/!d" filename

Thanks Agama
I will re-write the script with what you showed me there and let you know.

---------- Post updated at 05:12 PM ---------- Previous update was at 12:05 PM ----------

Hi I tried the modified script

Code:

#!/usr/bin/env ksh
cd /usr/logs/appserver/
ls -ltr XSLog*

printf "enter filename: "
read filename
printf "enter search string: "
read string1
printf "Another search string [yes|no] "
read ans
if [ "$ans" == "yes" ]
then
    printf "enter 2nd search string: "
    read string2
    p2="-e x;/$string2/!d"
fi

sed -e '/./{H;$!d;}' -e "x;/$string1/!d"  $p2  $filename 

bash-2.05$

but I could not get the second variable to be recognized.
Trying the first variable works but two, it seems to just hang and not print out.
I tried with the ";" before and after the first

Code:

 -e "x;/$string1/!d"

.
sorry to take up your time with this.

---------- Post updated 04-05-12 at 03:27 PM ---------- Previous update was 04-04-12 at 05:12 PM ----------

agama, Corona688 many thanks for your suggestions and help. I managed to get it working. I noticed I had an extra

Code:

 -e "x;/$string2/!d"

on the second string when actually it only required

Code:

  "/$string2/!d"

Code:

 sed -e '/./{H;$!d;}' -e "x;/$string1/!d; $p2" filename

Many thanks again
Regards