Script throwing error “=: not found” [duplicate]

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Consider:

#!/bin/ksh

db2 connect to MKTETLPS user ....... using ........

db2 "select count(*) from etl.IDM_COLLAPSE_ORG_DEE c where c.IDM_PROCESS_STEP = 'I' and priority in ( '1','2','3','4','5') and c.update_ts < (current timestamp - 60 minutes) with ur" > l.txt

$a = /is115/idm/dsproj/scripts/l.txt

if [ $a -gt 0 ];
then
db2 "update etl.idm_collapse_org_dee
set idm_process_step = NULL where priority in (
'1','2','3','4','5')
and idm_process_step ='I'"
else
echo "All is well"
fi


I am running above the script and am receiving the below error. How can I fix it?

./CORCleanup1.sh[8]: =: not found.
./CORCleanup1.sh[10]: test: 0403-004 Specify a parameter with this command.
All is well
DB20000I The SQL command completed successfully.
DB20000I The TERMINATE command completed successfully.

db2 connect reset


db2 terminate
exit


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2 Answers
2

Variable assignments must not include $ and spaces around the =. I also would double quote the assignment. So the variable assignment should look like as follows.

$

=

a="/is115/idm/dsproj/scripts/l.txt"


From further reading the script, it looks like you rather want to store the content of the file 1.txt in $a rather than the file path itself. For that purpose you could use the assignment as follows.

1.txt

$a

read -r a < /is115/idm/dsproj/scripts/l.txt


(read -r reads the first line of the file, strips the leading and trailing spaces and tabs (assuming the default value of $IFS) and stores it in the supplied variable)

read -r

$IFS

You also may want to double quote the $a variable in the if statement.

$a

if

if [ "$a" -gt 0 ];


You can also use https://www.shellcheck.net/ to check the syntax of your script.

a=$( db2 "select count(*) from tbl where cond and cond etc" )

Here's why you're seeing that error:

$a = /is115/idm/dsproj/scripts/l.txt


At this point in the code, the variable a is unset. ksh will substitute the variable with the empty string, resulting in:

a

= /is115/idm/dsproj/scripts/l.txt


Then ksh attempts to execute the line, tries to locate the command =, fails to find it, and produces the 1st error you see.

=

As @Thomas points out, the syntax for variable assignment is

varname=value


with no $ on the left-hand side, and no spaces around =. https://www.shellcheck.net/ will point out these errors.

$

=

Then you have

if [ $a -gt 0 ];


Since a has no value, ksh performs the substitution and tries to do

a

if [ -gt 0 ];


The [ command (yes, it is a command, aliased to the test command) does not understand the ‑gt operator without a left-hand operand, and you get the 2nd error message.

[

test

‑gt

The [ command exits with non-zero status, the if statement then executes the else block, and you get the "all is well" message.

[

if

else

This is why it's important to quote all variables within single brackets [ ... ]

[ ... ]

if [ "$a" -gt 0 ];


More generally, always quote variables unless you understand specifically when to omit the quotes. See also Security implications of forgetting to quote a variable in bash/POSIX shells