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  • Book Overview & Buying The Ultimate Linux Shell Scripting Guide
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The Ultimate Linux Shell Scripting Guide

The Ultimate Linux Shell Scripting Guide

By : Donald A. Tevault
4.9 (7)
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The Ultimate Linux Shell Scripting Guide

The Ultimate Linux Shell Scripting Guide

4.9 (7)
By: Donald A. Tevault

Overview of this book

Dive into the world of Linux shell scripting with this hands-on guide. If you’re comfortable using the command line on Unix or Linux but haven’t fully explored Bash, this book is for you. It’s designed for programmers familiar with languages like Python, JavaScript, or PHP who want to make the most of shell scripting. This isn’t just another theory-heavy book—you’ll learn by doing. Each chapter builds on the last, taking you from shell basics to writing practical scripts that solve real-world problems. With nearly a hundred interactive labs, you’ll gain hands-on experience in automation, system administration, and troubleshooting. While Bash is the primary focus, you'll also get a look at Z Shell and PowerShell, expanding your skills and adaptability. From mastering command redirection and pipelines to writing scripts that work across different Unix-like systems, this book equips you for real-world Linux challenges. By the end, you'll be equipped to write efficient shell scripts that streamline your workflow and improve system automation.
Table of Contents (27 chapters)
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26
Index

Working with Multi-Line Records

So far, we’ve been using awk to parse text files in which each line is its own distinct record. Sometimes though, you might have to work with files that have each record spread across several lines. For example, look at this inventory.txt file:

Kitchen spatula
$4.99
Housewares
Raincoat
$36.99
Clothing
On Sale!
Claw hammer
$7.99
Tools

The first and third records each consist of three lines, and the second record consists of four lines. Each record is separated by a blank space. Now, let’s say that we need to import this information into a spreadsheet. That won’t work well with multi-line records, so we’ll need to find an easy way to convert it into a spreadsheet-friendly format. Once again, awk to the rescue! Here’s the inventory.awk script that helps us out:

#!/usr/bin/awk -f
BEGIN {
        FS="\n"
        RS=""
        ORS=""
}
{
        count=1
        while (count<NF...
CONTINUE READING
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The Ultimate Linux Shell Scripting Guide
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