script grabbing cvs file .....

Shell Programming and Scripting
1

how do I write a script to checkout a file in cvs and cat the file into a file in my home directory

Commands are

cd /home/smr/sandbox
cvsroot
choose option 1
cvs co filename
cat filename > /home/smr/newfilename

Thank you!

2 
#!/bin/sh
cd some-dir
if test "$?" = "0"
then
    if cvs co filename
    then
         cp filename $HOME/filename
    fi
fi
3

Thank you for the reply. I am really new to scripting so it is very important that I understand the syntax.

I want it to be a korn script so is the only change there is:

#!/bin/sh to #!/bin/ksh

cd some-dir - understand this
if test "$?" = "0" - what does this mean
then - i know that if whatever above means do this below
if cvs co filename - why can if statement? cuz if the file is not found?
then - once the file is checked out do below
cp filename $HOME/filename
fi
fi

Thanks again!!!

4

$? is the return code of the previous program.

The "if" command runs a program given as it's arguments and depending on the zero/non-zero return code either runs the then or the else leg.

The "test" command will evaluate it's arguments and set its return code.

cvs is a program that will also set it's return code, hence can be used with if.

Why does it have to be korn shell?

5

$? is the return code of the previous program. - you mean the cd part of the script? Please bear wtih me when I say I'm new to script I mean really new.

We use korn at work so I just want to try to keep it the same.