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Syntax error near unexpected token

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# 1  
Old 11-28-2014
Syntax error near unexpected token
Hi all,

I have a simple script that doesn't work somehow. I can't seem to be spotting the cause of the malfunction.
Code:
count=$((1))
for item in `cat test1.txt`
  printf %s `sed -n $((count))p test2.txt` > test3.txt
  count=$((count+1))
  do
  something
done

I get ;
Code:
./why.sh: line 3: syntax error near unexpected token `printf'
./why.sh: line 3: `  printf %s `sed -n $((count))p test2.txt` > test3.txt'

Any idea why this might be happening ?


Thanks.
Last edited by Scrutinizer; 11-28-2014 at 08:28 PM.. Reason: quote tags -> code tags
# 2  
Old 11-28-2014
Hi y33t

What do you want to achieve with this script?
You are ignoring the input from test1.txt.

Better use $(cmd), not the old fashoned `cmd`,
this also helps to avoid quotation-errors by mistaking ' with `.

What is that sed command supposed to do?
# 3  
Old 11-28-2014
Try
Code:
count=1
for item in `cat test1.txt`
  printf %s `sed -n "$count"p test2.txt` > test3.txt
  count=$((count+1))
  do
  something
done

The only difference I see between
Code:
  printf %s `sed -n "$count"p test2.txt` > test3.txt

and
Code:
  sed -n "$count"p test2.txt > test3.txt

is that the printf variant will not add a trailing newline character to the sed output.

--------
EDIT: Missed something very obvious:

The valid for syntax is:
Code:
for NAME [in WORDS ... ] ; do COMMANDS; done

not
Code:
for NAME [in WORDS ... ] ; COMMANDS do COMMANDS; done

Hope this helps.
Last edited by junior-helper; 11-28-2014 at 08:26 PM.. Reason: noticed invalid "for" syntax
# 4  
Old 11-28-2014
There is a do statement missing.
Code:
for item in `cat test1.txt`
do

Usually a better approach is something like this:
Code:
while read item
do
  ....
done <test1.txt >test3.txt

Last edited by Scrutinizer; 11-28-2014 at 08:32 PM..
# 5  
Old 11-28-2014
Quote:
Originally Posted by Scrutinizer
There is a do statement missing.
Code:
for item in `cat test1.txt`
do

Usually a better approach is something like this:
Code:
while read item
do
  ....
done <test1.txt >test3.txt

Now the error is gone but I get a completely irrelevant output ;

Code:
$./test.sh
ountpountpountpountpountpountpount

# 6  
Old 11-28-2014
What is the content of ./test.sh?
# 7  
Old 11-29-2014
Please do not leave people guessing. Be complete. Show a representative sample of input, desired output, attempts at a solution and specify what OS and version are being used.
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