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make script treat * as a regular character

 
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Top Forums UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers make script treat * as a regular character
# 8  
Old 10-28-2008
Hammer & Screwdriver Unclear on request
The following will give a result of 3 (three), and that is correct for number of * characters.
[By the way, my previous solution with all those tr commands was meant to accomodate the possibility of multiple * on same line, and the desire to count each individually.]

Code:
> cat file15_1
This is what I mean:
Software Update Tool
Copyright 2002-2005 Apple

Software Update found the following new or updated software:
* MacProSMCUpdate-1.1
Mac Pro SMC Firmware Update (1.1), 970K [recommended]
* iTunesX-8.0.1
iTunes (8.0.1), 59910K [recommended]
* SecUpd2008-007Intel-1.0
Security Update 2008-007 (Intel) (1.0), 168250K [recommended] [restart]

> grep "*" file15_1 | wc -l
3
>

# 9  
Old 10-28-2008
I ended up with this as my solution:

updates=`softwareupdate -l | fgrep -c '*'`

if [ $updates -gt 0 ]
then
echo "There are $updates updates to install"
else
echo "There are no updates to install"
fi
 
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