UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

I've edited your post above and added code-tags. Enter the edit more for it too to see what i mean.

Ok so your given example is different to the original file. There are no lines in your file starting with "Started at". I guess there are some blanks or tabs in front of the "Started at". So please post a snippet of your original file but this time with the code tags.

i m still not able to fetch the timestamp
plz help

Do you understand what I wrote?

code:

#!/bin/ksh -x
#***********************************************************************
#
# Program name : ABCD509.ksh
# Description :
#
# Usage :
#
# Pre-cond :
#
# Created By : shweta
# Last Updated :
# Last Reviewed :
# Update History:
# when who what
#***********************************************************************
set -x
+ set -x
echo "${0}: Started at `date`"
+ date
+ echo /home/mkt/scripts/b2b_rpt/ABCD509.ksh: Started at Sat Jan 10 23:29:48 EST 2009
/home/mkt/scripts/b2b_rpt/ABCD509.ksh: Started at Sat Jan 10 23:29:48 EST 2009


this is the file from where i want to capture the first timestamp

are u getting my problem or shld i clearify more

NOW we get your problem (I think). For future reference
Try this

Code:

perl -ne 'print $1 if /:\sStarted at (.*)$/;' input.txt

Besides, shell scripts usually should not include the debug output from an earlier run

Polite is to answer a question when being asked from someone that wants to help you. Since you ignore my simple question, I stop helping you here. Good luck.