Shell Programming and Scripting

I didn't get what you suggested..

Code:

alias PATTERN="${3:-grep whatever you want here}"

.....

COUNT=$(PATTERN|egrep "${start_tim}|${end_tim}" | awk ... etc etc ...)

While I need

Code:

COUNT=$(cat ${METRICS_FILE} | ${PATTERN} |egrep "${start_tim}|${end_tim}" |awk -F"Count=" '{print $2}'|cut -d',' -f1 |perl -lne '$sum += $_ } { print $sum')

Once more:

- Since interpolation of the variable does not work, as I explained, I suggested that you model your "pattern" not by a variable named PATTERN, but by an alias named PATTERN.

- Also note that in my proposal, I suggested to drop the unnecessary cat command and replaced the depecated backquotes for process substitution, which you had used, by $(....). These changes don't affect the functionality, though.