Shell Programming and Scripting

yes.

Code:

shell_var="this is the pattern to check"
awk -v var=$shell_var '/var/{a=$0}END{ print a }' filename

I'm not sure I can do that. Maybe a little more explaining on my part.

The base script is a batch file that sets up the variables and calls several awk programs. (see attached). I have other variables like the one BCKDRIVE which I pass in another awk program file that sets a print result:
print "Assign " ENVIRON["BCKDRIVE"]

That one puts the proper designation in that string, but I can seem to get it to work in the pattern.

Hi,

I think below one may be ok for you.

Fist get the desired line with line number, put in temp file.
Second get the latest record.
Third only pring the latest record line number.
code:

Code:

grep sql-2005-userdb file | cat -n > temp
line=`cat temp | sed  's/\([0-9][0-9][0-9][0-9]\)-\([0-9][0-9]\)-\([0-9][0-9]\)-\([0-9][0-9]\):\([0-9][0-9]\):\([0-9][0-9]\)\.\([0-9]*\)$/ \1\2\3\4\5\6\7/' | sort +2 | tail -1 | awk '{print $1}'`
sed -n "${line}p" temp