can't put value in variable, why not?

[rcoston]

nbroffilles = ls -l *.Z | wc -l
echo $nbroffiles

The above script does not return the number of *.Z files in the directory that I run the script from. The error message I get is:
nbroffiles: not found

IF I run the command - ls -l *.Z | wc -l from the command line it returns a number equal to the number of *.Z files in the directory I'm in.

How can I deposit this number into a variable in a ksh script?

 

[SamBones]

First you need to lose some spaces. Try this...

nbroffilles=`ls -1 *.Z | wc -l`
echo $nbroffiles

Hope this helps.

 

[rcoston]

nbr='ls -l *.Z | wc -l'
echo $nbr

When I try this I get a result that looks like:

ls -l a.Z b.Z c.Z d.Z where a b and c are names of *.Z files.

What I really want is to have the variable $nbr be a number 4 or whatever number equals the number of *.Z files in that directory so that I may check it in an if statement later on such as if there are *.Z files in a certain directory uncompress them and move them. What appeared simple is now taking all my time on elementary UNIX. Frustrated, and I still need help...

 

[Ygor]

Try

nbr=$(ls *.Z|wc -l)

 

[rcoston]

Thanks works like a charm, you're awesome!!!

 

[SamBones]

rcoston,

You're using the wrong characters! It's...

    nbr=`ls -1 *.Z | wc -l`

...not...

    nbr='ls -l *.Z | wc -l'

It's not the single quote, it's the "back tick" which is under the tilde character (~) on the keyboard.

Hope this helps.