UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

In a shell script I would like to use a compressed file name, i.e. with suffix of .Z, as a file input $1. After the file in uncompressed, I would like to use the file name without the .Z . How do I do this?

Thank you.

This will return file: basename file.Z .Z

This is how I would do it:

Code:

#!/bin/bash

if [ "$1" = "" ]
   then echo "Usage: $0 file.Z"
        exit 1
fi

uncompress $1
mv `basename $1 .Z` newfilename

I guess that I wasn't specific enough.

the script -
uncompress $1
mv `basename $1 .Z` newfilename

requires input of a file name. What I tried to say was
where $1 = basename.Z
after compression this becomes basename
how do I rename $1 or save to another variable the filename = basename
by itself?

not sure if I understand what you're trying to explain, but....
After the decompression '$1' will still have the value of 'basename.Z' and the decompressed file will be named 'basename'.

Can you try to explain again, pls!

Do you want to replace the value of $1 without the .Z?

That would be: 1=`basename $1 .Z`

I dont think you can replace the value's of the postitional parameter $1 like you have mentioned. They are a read-only parameter.

One of the ways to change the value is to use shift. But it is of no good in this particular post.

Vino

EDIT: You are right. I learned something else tonight