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Manual of the Bourne Shell on Version 7

released under the license of Caldera

original sh.1 massaged, nroffed and htmlized.


SH(1)               UNIX Programmer's Manual                SH(1)


NAME
     sh, for, case, if,	while, :, ., break, continue,  cd,  eval,
     exec,  exit,  export,  login,  newgrp,  read, readonly, set,
     shift, times, trap, umask,	wait - command language

SYNOPSIS
     sh	[ -ceiknrstuvx ] [ arg ] ...

DESCRIPTION
     Sh	is a command programming language that executes	 commands
     read  from	 a  terminal  or  a file.  See invocation for the
     meaning of	arguments to the shell.

     Commands.
     A simple-command is a sequence of non blank words	separated
     by	 blanks	 (a  blank  is a tab or	a space).  The first word
     specifies the name	of the command to be executed.	Except as
     specified	below the remaining words are passed as	arguments
     to	the invoked command.  The command name is passed as argu-
     ment  0 (see exec(2)).  The value of a simple-command is its
     exit status if it terminates normally or  200+status  if  it
     terminates	 abnormally  (see  signal(2) for a list	of status
     values).

     A pipeline	is a sequence of one or	more  commands	separated
     by	 |.  The  standard output of each command but the last is
     connected by a pipe(2) to the standard  input  of	the  next
     command.	Each  command  is  run as a separate process; the
     shell waits for the last command to terminate.

     A list is a sequence of one or more pipelines  separated  by
     ;,	&, && or || and	optionally terminated by ; or &.  ; and	&
     have equal	precedence which is lower than that of && and ||,
     &&	 and  ||  also have equal precedence.  A semicolon causes
     sequential	execution;  an	ampersand  causes  the	preceding
     pipeline  to  be  executed	without	waiting	for it to finish.
     The symbol	&& (||)	causes the list	following to be	 executed
     only  if  the  preceding  pipeline	returns	a zero (non zero)
     value.  Newlines may appear in  a	list,  instead	of  semi-
     colons, to	delimit	commands.

     A command is either a simple-command or one of  the  follow-
     ing.   The	 value	returned by a command is that of the last
     simple-command executed in	the command.

     for name [in word ...] do list done
	  Each time a for command is executed name is set to  the
	  next word in the for word list If in word ...	 is omit-
	  ted then in "$@" is assumed.	Execution ends when there
	  are no more words in the list.

     case word in [pattern [ | pattern ] ... ) list ;;]	... esac
	  A case command executes the list  associated	with  the
	  first	 pattern  that matches word. The form of the pat-
	  terns	is the same as that used for  file  name  genera-
	  tion.

     if	list then list [elif list then list] ... [else list] fi
	  The list following if	is executed  and  if  it  returns
	  zero	the  list following then is executed.  Otherwise,
	  the list following elif is executed and if its value is
	  zero the list	following then is executed.  Failing that
	  the else list	is executed.

     while list	[do list] done
	  A while command repeatedly executes the while	list  and
	  if  its  value  is zero executes the do list;	otherwise
	  the loop terminates.	The value  returned  by	 a  while
	  command  is that of the last executed	command	in the do
	  list.	until may be used in place of while to negate the
	  loop termination test.

     ( list )
	  Execute list in a subshell.

     { list }
	  list is simply executed.

     The following words are only recognized as	the first word of
     a command and when	not quoted.

	  if then else elif fi case in esac for	 while	until  do
	  done { }

     Command substitution.
     The standard output from a	command	enclosed  in  a	 pair  of
     grave  accents  (``)  may	be used	as part	or all of a word;
     trailing newlines are removed.

     Parameter substitution.
     The character $ is	used to	introduce  substitutable  parame-
     ters.   Positional	parameters may be assigned values by set.
     Variables may be set by writing

	  name=value [ name=value ] ...

     ${parameter}
	  A parameter is a sequence of letters,	digits or  under-
	  scores  (a name), a digit, or	any of the characters *	@
	  # ? -	$ !.  The value, if any, of the	parameter is sub-
	  stituted.   The braces are required only when	parameter
	  is followed by a letter, digit, or underscore	 that  is
	  not  to be interpreted as part of its	name.  If parame-
	  ter is a digit then it is a positional  parameter.   If
	  parameter is * or @ then all the positional parameters,
	  starting with	$1, are	substituted separated by  spaces.
	  $0 is	set from argument zero when the	shell is invoked.

     ${parameter-word}
	  If parameter is set then substitute its  value;  other-
	  wise substitute word.

     ${parameter=word}
	  If parameter is not set then set it to word; the  value
	  of  the  parameter  is  then	substituted.   Positional
	  parameters may not be	assigned to in this way.

     ${parameter?word}
	  If parameter is set then substitute its  value;  other-
	  wise,	 print	word and exit from the shell.  If word is
	  omitted then a standard message is printed.

     ${parameter+word}
	  If parameter is set  then  substitute	 word;	otherwise
	  substitute nothing.

     In	the above word is not evaluated	unless it is to	 be  used
     as	 the  substituted  string.   (So  that,	for example, echo
     ${d-`pwd`}	will only execute pwd if d is unset.)

     The following parameters are automatically	set by the shell.

	  #    The number of positional	parameters in decimal.
	  -    Options supplied	to the shell on	invocation or  by
	       set.
	  ?    The value returned by the last executed command in
	       decimal.
	  $    The process number of this shell.
	  !    The process number of the last background  command
	       invoked.

     The following parameters are used but not set by the shell.

	  HOME The default argument (home directory) for  the  cd
	       command.
	  PATH The search path for commands (see execution).
	  MAIL If this variable	is set to the name of a	mail file
	       then  the shell informs the user	of the arrival of
	       mail in the specified file.
	  PS1  Primary prompt string, by default `$ '.
	  PS2  Secondary prompt	string,	by default `> '.
	  IFS  Internal	field separators,  normally  space,  tab,
	       and newline.

     Blank interpretation.
     After parameter and command  substitution,	 any  results  of
     substitution  are scanned for internal field separator char-
     acters (those found in $IFS) and split into  distinct  argu-
     ments  where such characters are found.  Explicit null argu-
     ments ("" or '')  are  retained.	Implicit  null	arguments
     (those  resulting	from  parameters that have no values) are
     removed.

     File name generation.
     Following substitution, each command word is scanned for the
     characters	 *,  ?	and [. If one of these characters appears
     then the word  is	regarded  as  a	 pattern.   The	 word  is
     replaced  with  alphabetically  sorted file names that match
     the pattern.  If no file name is found that matches the pat-
     tern  then	 the  word is left unchanged.  The character . at
     the start of a file name or immediately following a  /,  and
     the character /, must be matched explicitly.

     *	  Matches any string, including	the null string.
     ?	  Matches any single character.
     [...]
	  Matches any one of the characters enclosed.  A pair  of
	  characters  separated	 by - matches any character lexi-
	  cally	between	the pair.

     Quoting.
     The following characters have a special meaning to	the shell
     and cause termination of a	word unless quoted.

	  ;   &	  (   )	  |   <	  >   newline	space	tab

     A character may be	quoted by preceding it with a  \.   \new-
     line  is ignored.	All characters enclosed	between	a pair of
     quote marks (''), except a	single quote, are quoted.  Inside
     double quotes ("")	parameter and command substitution occurs
     and \ quotes the characters \ ` " and $.

     "$*" is equivalent	to "$1 $2 ..."	whereas
     "$@" is equivalent	to "$1"	"$2" ... .

     Prompting.
     When used interactively, the shell	prompts	with the value of
     PS1  before  reading a command.  If at any	time a newline is
     typed and further input is	needed to complete a command then
     the secondary prompt ($PS2) is issued.

     Input output.
     Before a command is executed its input  and  output  may  be
     redirected	 using	a  special  notation  interpreted  by the
     shell.  The following  may	 appear	 anywhere  in  a  simple-
     command  or  may  precede	or  follow  a command and are not
     passed on	to  the	 invoked  command.   Substitution  occurs
     before word or digit is used.

     <word
	  Use file word	as standard input (file	descriptor 0).

     >word
	  Use file word	as standard output (file  descriptor  1).
	  If  the  file	does not exist then it is created; other-
	  wise it is truncated to zero length.

     >>word
	  Use file word	as standard output.  If	the  file  exists
	  then output is appended (by seeking to the end); other-
	  wise the file	is created.

     <<word
	  The shell input is read up to	a line the same	as  word,
	  or  end  of  file.   The resulting document becomes the
	  standard input.  If any character  of	 word  is  quoted
	  then no interpretation is placed upon	the characters of
	  the document;	otherwise, parameter and command  substi-
	  tution  occurs,  \newline  is	ignored, and \ is used to
	  quote	the characters \ $ ` and the first  character  of
	  word.

     <&digit
	  The standard input is	duplicated from	 file  descriptor
	  digit;  see  dup(2).	Similarly for the standard output
	  using	>.

     <&-  The standard input is	closed.	 Similarly for the  stan-
	  dard output using >.

     If	one of the above is preceded by	a  digit  then	the  file
     descriptor	 created  is that specified by the digit (instead
     of	the default 0 or 1).  For example,

	  ... 2>&1

     creates file descriptor 2 to be a duplicate of file descrip-
     tor 1.

     If	a command is followed by  &  then  the	default	 standard
     input for the command is the empty	file (/dev/null).  Other-
     wise, the environment for the execution of	 a  command  con-
     tains the file descriptors	of the invoking	shell as modified
     by	input output specifications.

     Environment.
     The environment is	a list of name-value pairs that	is passed
     to	 an executed program in	the same way as	a normal argument
     list; see exec(2) and environ(5).	The shell interacts  with
     the  environment  in several ways.	 On invocation,	the shell
     scans the environment and creates a parameter for each  name
     found, giving it the corresponding	value.	Executed commands
     inherit the same environment.   If	 the  user  modifies  the
     values  of	 these	parameters  or	creates	new ones, none of
     these affects the environment unless the export  command  is
     used  to bind the shell's parameter to the	environment.  The
     environment seen by any executed command is thus composed of
     any  unmodified name-value	pairs originally inherited by the
     shell, plus any modifications or  additions,  all	of  which
     must be noted in export commands.

     The environment for any simple-command may	be  augmented  by
     prefixing	it  with  one  or more assignments to parameters.
     Thus these	two lines are equivalent

	  TERM=450 cmd args
	  (export TERM;	TERM=450; cmd args)

     If	the -k flag is set, all	keyword	arguments are  placed  in
     the  environment,	even if	the occur after	the command name.
     The following prints `a=b c' and `c':
     echo a=b c
     set -k
     echo a=b c

     Signals.
     The INTERRUPT and QUIT signals for	an  invoked  command  are
     ignored  if  the command is followed by &;	otherwise signals
     have the values inherited by  the	shell  from  its  parent.
     (But see also trap.)

     Execution.
     Each time a command is executed the above substitutions  are
     carried out.  Except for the `special commands' listed below
     a new process is created and an attempt is	made  to  execute
     the command via an	exec(2).

     The shell parameter $PATH defines the search  path	 for  the
     directory	containing  the	command.  Each alternative direc-
     tory name is separated by a colon (:).  The default path  is
     :/bin:/usr/bin.   If  the command name contains a / then the
     search path is not	used.  Otherwise, each directory  in  the
     path  is  searched	 for an	executable file.  If the file has
     execute permission	but is not an a.out file, it  is  assumed
     to	be a file containing shell commands.  A	subshell (i.e.,	a
     separate process) is spawned to read  it.	 A  parenthesized
     command is	also executed in a subshell.

     Special commands.
     The following commands are	executed in the	shell process and
     except  where  specified no input output redirection is per-
     mitted for	such commands.

     :	  No effect; the command does nothing.
     . file
	  Read and execute commands from file  and  return.   The
	  search  path	$PATH  is used to find the directory con-
	  taining file.
     break [n]
	  Exit from the	enclosing for or while loop, if	any.   If
	  n is specified then break n levels.
     continue [n]
	  Resume the next iteration of the enclosing for or while
	  loop.	  If  n	 is  specified	then  resume  at the n-th
	  enclosing loop.
     cd	[arg]
	  Change the current directory to arg. The shell  parame-
	  ter $HOME is the default arg.
     eval [arg ...]
	  The arguments	are read as input to the  shell	 and  the
	  resulting command(s) executed.
     exec [arg ...]
	  The command specified	by the arguments is  executed  in
	  place	 of  this  shell  without creating a new process.
	  Input	output arguments may appear and	if no other argu-
	  ments	 are  given  cause  the	 shell input output to be
	  modified.
     exit [n]
	  Causes a non interactive shell to exit  with	the  exit
	  status  specified  by	 n. If n is omitted then the exit
	  status is that of the	last command executed.	 (An  end
	  of file will also exit from the shell.)
     export [name ...]
	  The given names are marked for automatic export to  the
	  environment  of  subsequently-executed commands.  If no
	  arguments are	given then a list of exportable	names  is
	  printed.
     login [arg	...]
	  Equivalent to	`exec login arg	...'.
     newgrp [arg ...]
	  Equivalent to	`exec newgrp arg ...'.
     read name ...
	  One line is read from	the  standard  input;  successive
	  words	 of  the input are assigned to the variables name
	  in order, with leftover words	 to  the  last	variable.
	  The  return code is 0	unless the end-of-file is encoun-
	  tered.
     readonly [name ...]
	  The given names are marked readonly and the  values  of
	  the  these  names  may  not  be  changed  by subsequent
	  assignment.  If no arguments are given then a	 list  of
	  all readonly names is	printed.
     set [-eknptuvx [arg ...]]
	  -e If	non interactive	then exit immediately if  a  com-
	     mand fails.
	  -k All keyword arguments are placed in the  environment
	     for  a command, not just those that precede the com-
	     mand name.
	  -n Read commands but do not execute them.
	  -t Exit after	reading	and executing one command.
	  -u Treat unset variables as an error when substituting.
	  -v Print shell input lines as	they are read.
	  -x Print commands and	their arguments	as they	are  exe-
	     cuted.
	  -  Turn off the -x and -v options.

	  These	flags can also be used	upon  invocation  of  the
	  shell.  The current set of flags may be found	in $-.

	  Remaining arguments are positional parameters	 and  are
	  assigned,  in	 order,	 to $1,	$2, etc.  If no	arguments
	  are given then the values of all names are printed.

     shift
	  The positional parameters from $2...	are renamed $1...

     times
	  Print	 the  accumulated  user	 and  system  times   for
	  processes run	from the shell.

     trap [arg]	[n] ...
	  Arg is a command to be read and executed when	the shell
	  receives  signal(s)  n.  (Note that arg is scanned once
	  when the trap	is set and once	when the trap is  taken.)
	  Trap	commands  are executed in order	of signal number.
	  If arg is absent then	all trap(s) n are reset	to  their
	  original  values.   If arg is	the null string	then this
	  signal is ignored by the shell and by	invoked	commands.
	  If n is 0 then the command arg is executed on	exit from
	  the shell, otherwise upon receipt of signal n	 as  num-
	  bered	 in  signal(2).	  Trap with no arguments prints	a
	  list of commands associated with each	signal number.

     umask [ nnn ]
	  The user file	creation mask is set to	the  octal  value
	  nnn  (see  umask(2)).	  If  nnn is omitted, the current
	  value	of the mask is printed.

     wait [n]
	  Wait for the specified process and report its	 termina-
	  tion	status.	  If  n	 is  not given then all	currently
	  active child processes are waited for.  The return code
	  from this command is that of the process waited for.

     Invocation.
     If	the first character of argument	zero is	-,  commands  are
     read  from	 $HOME/.profile, if such a file	exists.	 Commands
     are then read as described	below.	The following  flags  are
     interpreted by the	shell when it is invoked.
     -c	string	If the -c flag is present then commands	are  read
		from string.
     -s		If the -s flag is  present  or	if  no	arguments
		remain	then  commands are read	from the standard
		input.	Shell output is	written	to file	 descrip-
		tor 2.
     -i		If the -i flag is present or if	the  shell  input
		and output are attached	to a terminal (as told by
		gtty) then this	shell  is  interactive.	 In  this
		case the terminate signal SIGTERM (see signal(2))
		is ignored (so that `kill 0'  does  not	 kill  an
		interactive  shell) and	the interrupt signal SIG-
		INT is caught and ignored (so that wait	is inter-
		ruptable).   In	 all  cases SIGQUIT is ignored by
		the shell.

     The remaining flags and arguments are  described  under  the
     set command.

FILES
     $HOME/.profile
     /tmp/sh*
     /dev/null

SEE ALSO
     test(1), exec(2),

DIAGNOSTICS
     Errors detected by	the shell, such	as  syntax  errors  cause
     the shell to return a non zero exit status.  If the shell is
     being used	non interactively then	execution  of  the  shell
     file  is  abandoned.   Otherwise, the shell returns the exit
     status of the last	command	executed (see also exit).

BUGS
     If	<< is used to provide standard input to	 an  asynchronous
     process  invoked  by &, the shell gets mixed up about naming
     the input document.  A garbage file /tmp/sh* is created, and
     the shell complains about not being able to find the file by
     another name.