UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

Hi this is about using .netrc with multiple macro definitions for a single target server. I have seen this done successfully before, but am having trouble getting it working here.

my .netrc file is like the following:

machine server1
login userid1
password userpwd1

macdef ftp_cobol_from_prd
prompt
ascii
lcd /dir1/dir2/
cd /dira/dirb/dirc
mget *.cbl
bye

macdef ftp_logs_from_prd
prompt
ascii
lcd /dirz/dir1/log
cd /dirq/dir1/log
mget *.log
bye

macdef ftp_reports_from_prd
prompt
ascii
lcd /dir1/rpt/prd
cd /dirm/rpt
mget *.rpt
bye

From my shell script I call each macro like this:

echo '$ftp_cobol_from_prd'|ftp server1

Normally I can call each macdef and get it to work fine. I seem to be having issues though. The only macdef that gets executed is the first one no matter which macro I call.
As I said I have seen this work before, I am missing something, though.

Any Ideas?

Thanks!

I got it working. It appears to be related to the length and order of the macdef names. You have to have your macdefs in Alpha order and have the name differences occur in the first 8 characters or so. For example:

macdef ftp_TESTDB_cobol
macdef ftp_TESTDB_txt
macdef ftp_TESTDB_log

would always run the first macdef,

macdef TESTDB_cobol
macdef TESTDB_log
macdef TESTDB_txt

resolves the macdefs correctly.

Just in case anyone is interested.