reading from a pipe

[gsopitan]

I wrote a command that performs a series of function. The command works this way

Case1: commandname option value
$0 $1 $2

It should also works this way

case 2: value | commandname option

In case 1, I refer to "value" in my script using parameter $2. I am not sure how to read or what parameter to use to refer to "value" when it's coming from a pipe. Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Annihilannic]

I case 2, value needs to be a command... are you aware of that?

Something like this perhaps:

# if only one parameter has been supplied
if [[ $# -eq 1 ]]
then
    # read value from standard input
    read VALUE
else
    # value is second parameter
    VALUE=$2
fi

Annihilannic.