Shell Programming and Scripting

OK RudiC, thanks a lot! Now i know why it is so disapointing for me. I think i used another version few years ago... i suppose with more practice it will seem easier.
Tank you again.

I don't know, what you mean by "universal syntax", but bash has a well-defined syntax with, AFIK, virtually know "exceptions from the rules". Of course, copy&paste without understanding what's behind, is always difficult - but this is not different in C or Java. Also, language evolution means that there are differences between versions, but this is ALSO true for nearly every other language.

For an explanation of a certain construct, the bash man page is a good source. This is similar to consulting the ANSI standard document for C for really knowing what's going on.

Of course, if a certain construct is not clear, you can ask here, but write a separate post for each construct you are interested in, and try to ask a precise question.

You could look in the FAQ sub forum here for pointers to online books/tutorials or phsyical books to learn from. There is also the online copy of Learning the Korn Shell. There are differences between the two shells, so not everything in the book applies to bash (also, both shells have evolved since this book was published).

Andrew

To be honest, while bash and ksh have a lot in common, the differences are large enough to a complete beginner in shell programming, so I personally would recommend against it, even if the text is written well.