Bash: Getting everything into 1 line

[bashhelp]

Oh, great! I just typed up my whole message, spell checked it, and the creativity is all gone when I clicked submit, because my login timed out! Here I go again.

Here's the sample script:


#!/bin/bash
echo -n " Link: "
read link
echo -n "Start: "
read start
echo -n " End: "
read end

while test "$start" -le "$end"
do
wget -c $link$start.foo
start=$[start+1]
done

If I were to run this, it would look something like this:


bashhelp@linuxbox ~ $ ./script
Link: http://site.com/dir/file
Start: 1999
End: 2005


How do I get it to behave like this:

Task: [site] [start] [end]

bashhelp@linuxbox ~ $ ./script
Task: http://site.com/dir/file 1999 2005


Once it runs, it will download file1999.foo, file2000.foo, up until it gets to file2005.foo.

Please help?

[23meg]

You need positional parameters. See here for the theory: http://www.linuxcommand.org/wss0130.php ; the practice is up to you.

[Leif]

change your script to


#!/bin/bash

for i in `seq $2 $3`;
do
wget -c $1$i.foo
done


then call with ./script site start end

[bashhelp]

I had no clue what that very long script was trying to tell me. Perhaps what I wanted to know was in Lesson 13. And it required me to have previously read the 12 other Lessons in order to understand.

But nonetheless, I really appreciate you trying to help, 23meg.

WOW, Leif! When I first saw that, I thought it was a joke! I thought the original script would have to be expanded 2-5 times longer to get something like that working. Took me by surprise; 4 lines! Thanks a lot!

[23meg]

If you're serious about getting serious in bash, do read the linuxcommand.org lessons in order. It's the best bash primer site I've seen.

[bashhelp]

I am interested. But for now, I am just trying out different tasks to see if it is difficult and can it do what I want or not before learning the whole thing and taking it seriously.

I would be smacking my face on the keyboard if I went half way only to know what I am trying to do is harder than I thought.

[23meg]

It's never too hard; there's always help, don't be afraid. Bash is very rewarding.