Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site umcp-cs.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!floyd!harpo!seismo!rlgvax!cvl!umcp-cs!chris From: chris@umcp-cs.UUCP Newsgroups: net.unix Subject: Re: Shell programming style -- a plea for better shell scripts Message-ID: <5588@umcp-cs.UUCP> Date: Thu, 1-Mar-84 21:55:18 EST Article-I.D.: umcp-cs.5588 Posted: Thu Mar 1 21:55:18 1984 Date-Received: Sat, 3-Mar-84 22:45:49 EST References: <16945@sri-arpa.UUCP> Organization: Univ. of Maryland, Computer Science Dept. Lines: 23 One more note. Apparently, someone is saying that "gee I want to run the user's ``xyzzy'' program but the /bin ``test'' program", and for that reason can't put #! /bin/sh PATH=/usr/bin:/bin at the beginning of ``sh'' scripts. Well don't despair, there is a solution. Try #! /bin/sh lpath=/usr/bin:/bin # or whatever your shell script needs xyzzy # use the user's xyzzy program PATH=$lpath if test ... # don't use the user's test program I can't say if it works on System III or System V, but it works under 4.1. (I just tested it.) Aren't "temporary environment variables" wonderful? -- In-Real-Life: Chris Torek, Univ of MD Comp Sci UUCP: {seismo,allegra,brl-bmd}!umcp-cs!chris CSNet: chris@umcp-cs ARPA: chris.umcp-cs@CSNet-Relay