Is it possible to have a for loop inside another for loop? Post: 302394472

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Top Forums Shell Programming and Scripting Is it possible to have a for loop inside another for loop? Post 302394472 by DoxieLvr on Thursday 11th of February 2010 12:28:32 PM

02-11-2010

Registered User

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottzx7rr

Is it possible to have a for loop nested inside another for loop? I am trying to run a script against specific files inside a child directory but I can't seem to find a solution that is clean and affect to do it. Here is what I am trying do. I have 2 gzip files in each of the Target Directories that I need to run a script against. Then after the report is generated by the script I need to move the report from the Output Target back into the Target Directory. I been looking for way to do the inbedding of the for in another for but I don't really seem to find a way that works. Any help would be appreciated. Thx in Advance.

Starting directory=/mnt
Target Directories=/mnt/TASK-WF001 through 200
Output file Directory=/export/home/files/output_files/

Code:

#!/bin/sh
#### Function to automate the running of the audit scripts ####
for x in 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
do
#### Changing directory to child directory where the files are located ####
cd TASK-WF*$x
for f in `ls *gz`
   do
        echo $f
       /scripts/extract $f
       mv /export/home/files/output_files/* .
   done
done

I see one problem. You're changing directory to the target directory at the start of the outer loop but not returning back up afterward so the next time through the loop, you try to go down one more directory level and fail.

Three possible solutions:
1) Add "cd .." before the outer "done".
2) More fool proof as it doesn't depend on all of the directories being on the same level: change the "cd" command to "pushd" and add a "popd" before the outer "done".
3) Less efficient but, IMHO, cleanest: run the contents of the outer loop in a subshell so the working directory is automatically reset:

Code:

#!/bin/sh
#### Function to automate the running of the audit scripts ####
for x in 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
do
(
#### Changing directory to child directory where the files are located ####
cd TASK-WF*$x
for f in `ls *gz`
   do
        echo $f
       /scripts/extract $f
       mv /export/home/files/output_files/* .
   done
)
done

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LEARN ABOUT OSF1

itruns

itruns(8)						      System Manager's Manual							 itruns(8)

NAME

       itruns - set up files for use by the it command

SYNOPSIS

       /sbin/itruns file [file...] in run-state [, file [file...] in run-state] [,...]

DESCRIPTION

       The  itruns  program  sets  up scripts to be run by it(8).  (These programs are typically used within system configuration and installation
       scripts.)  The itruns command searches for /sbin/it.d/bin/file. If itruns finds the file, it  creates  one  or  more  symbolic  links  from
       /sbin/it.d/run-state.d/file to /sbin/it.d/bin/file.

       The  run-state  argument can be a single run state, or it can be two run states separated by either the word or or the word and. If two run
       states are specified with the or keyword, itruns checks for (and creates, if necessary) a directory whose name combines both run states and
       places  a link in that directory so that the file will be executed when the it program detects either state.  You can collapse two or-sepa-
       rated states into a single expression; for example, 2 or 3 can be expressed as 23. If the and keyword is used, itruns checks for (and  cre-
       ates, if necessary) two separate directories and places a link in each of them so that either state triggers execution of the file indepen-
       dently of the other state.

       If two or more files are specified for a single run-state argument, links are created for all of the files as indicated	by  the  run-state
       argument.

       If  two or more combinations of files and run states are specified as comma-separated expressions, itruns treats each combination individu-
       ally.

RESTRICTIONS

       The itruns command must be executed from the root directory (/). The command finds only files that are located in the /sbin/it.d/bin direc-
       tory.

EXAMPLES

       This  example  sets  up	the doconfig script to be run when the system is booted to run state 2: itruns doconfig in 2 Either of the command
       lines in this example sets up the doconfig and getdate scripts to be run when the system is booted to run state 2 or to run state 3: itruns
       doconfig  getdate  in  2 or 3 itruns doconfig getdate in 23 This example sets up the doconfig script to be run when the system is booted to
       run state 2 and again when the system comes to run state 3, the getdate script to be run only in run state 2, and the getsysname script	to
       be run only in run state 3: itruns doconfig in 2 and 3, getdate in 2, getsysname in 3

SEE ALSO

       Commands: it(8)

																	 itruns(8)

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