Shell Programming and Scripting

hello again guys,
I tried to make a script but due to array's limitations I didn't succeed...so I'm asking you

I need numbering the lines according to date (everyday I need to restart the counter)

for example:

ABCBD 20080101 XXX 1
FSDFD 20080101 BBB 2
FSDFD 20080102 HHH 1
and so on...

I'd like not to use awk o sed...that's why I found them tooooo difficult

#!/bin/ksh93
file1='/spooldocs/1.txt'
file2='/spooldocs/2.txt'
n=1
cat "$file1" |
while read line
do
if [[ "line:8:8" == "line_old:8:8"]]
echo "$line $n" >> file2
n=n+1
$line=line_old

done

obviously it doesn't work (ok there are some errors 'cause trying i deleted the tested one...but i think the problem is in concept)

also i need not to change tabulation

thanks a lot

elio

And what is the reason to make it so difficult? Is it a homework assignment?

Regards

no thankfully I don't study anymore...I do by myself, probably I'm not so good as you if you give me help with that commands for sure I can't handle them...
thanks anyway

I succedeed in creating this script...if anyone needs it please ask me...