UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

Yes..that would work as well, but why would this particular script blow up when more than one file exists?

In post #2 it was pointed out that your "if" tests were faulty.
They become even more faulty when $FND and $STR expand to multiple words.
You have kept the faulty lines in your latest version.

This line contains three errors.
1) $FND is not in double quotes. Thus if it contains nothing or more than one value it will break the "if".
2) > is not a valid "test" parameter. Your "if" is therefore testing the result of the command line containing the redirection (redirection caused by ">").
3) '' is a null string which is also not allowed in an "if" statement.

I prefer to use this sort of syntax because it is robust for most values of $FND and works in most Bourne-type shells. Here we are using a correct string comparison operator "=" and extending the string on both sides with and "X" character to prevent syntax errors.
The "!" means "not".

Code:

if [ ! "${FND}""X" = "X" ]

I've anticipated that you will want the list of files containing error messages to be presented in the email as a vertical list not all on the same line. This is one good reason to use a workfile not an environment variable.

Sorry...I had sent you my original. Here is the one with the updates:

Code:

    FND="$(find ediout* -mmin -60)"
#   if [ $FND > '' ]; then
    if [ -n "$FND" ]; then
         STR="$(find ediout* -mmin -60 -exec grep -l "ERRORS Encountered" {} +)"
    fi
#   email the results
    if [ $STR > '' ];  then
        echo "${STR}" | mailx -s "EDI Translation Errors List" test@optonline.net 
        The following file(s): ${STR} may contain errors during translation.
MAILER
    fi

Moderator's Comments:

Use code tags, please...

This line contains the same errors.

The error from the mailer suggests that the line contains single quotes not double quotes.

I missed that line.....it works!
Thanks so much.