Rather than using read can you load the results of the command into an array and iterate:
FILES=`ls` FILE=(${FILES}) for ((i=0; i<${#FILE[@]}; i++)) do echo ${i} ${FILE[$i]} done Exit This should load the variables before the other scripts are invoked. Neale ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For LINUX-390 subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@vm.marist.edu with the message: INFO LINUX-390 or visit http://www.marist.edu/htbin/wlvindex?LINUX-390 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For more information on Linux on System z, visit http://wiki.linuxvm.org/