ksh: How to store each output line into a different variable?

Shell Programming and Scripting
1

Example output:

/tmp/generatelines.sh
line1
line2
line3
line4

I want each output line assigned to its own variable, ie:

"line1" --> $a
"line2" --> $b
"line3" --> $c
"line4" --> $d

Is this possible without writing to a temporary file?

Thanks

2 
ifs='
'
read $a $b $c $d <file

very inefficient if you start to change the number of lines, or variables required. Have you considered an array,

3

Thanks for your fast response.

Unfortunately read only reads the first line, even if I set IFS like you did.

This is what happens:

nptcmc01,sys,root # (
> IFS='
> '
> read a b c d < file
> echo $a
> echo $b
> echo $c
> echo $d
> )
line1

nptcmc01,sys,root #

Please advise me how I could do this with an array. I have been trying to work this out for days!

4 
ifs="$IFS"
IFS='
'
set -A lines $(</tmp/generatelines.sh)
IFS="$ifs"

Then you have the lines in ${lines[0]} ... ${lines[n]}

And of course, if you have a line like:

a\nb

... and you want to display the element correctly,
you should use print -r.

5

Hi radoulov

Your code works perfectly. You have taught me something new and I am extremely grateful.

Regards