# Handy bash stuff

# Converting tabs to spaces/spaces to tabs
expand, unexpand

# Changing case
lc_table=`echo $table | tr '[A-Z]' '[a-z]'`

# access to the first character in a string
if [ "${line:0:1}" != "#" ]

# Split a sentence into words
var1="I have a question"
set `echo var1`
After that code executes, each word will be assigned to $1 $2 $3 $4.

#To get: /tmp/my.dir (like dirname)
path=${foo%/*} 

# Strip the path from the filename
file=${foo##*/} 

unix command: basename

#To get: filename 
base=${file%%.*} 

#To get the extension 
ext=${file#*.} 

# Remove leading spaces
n=`expr $n`

#Trim the shortest match from the end 
${variable%pattern} 

#Trim the longest match from the beginning 
${variable##pattern} 

#Trim the shortest match from the end 
${variable%%pattern} 

#Trim the shortest match from the beginning 
${variable#pattern} 

# access to everything after a delimiter
extension=`echo $file | cut -d'.' -f2-`

# array stuff
# loading an array
table_list[${#table_list[*]}]=$line

# loading an array
area2=( zero one two three four)

# accessing array elements
for i in "${table_list[@]}"

for file in $( ls $ctlpath )

# or a more elegant method
echo ${colors[@]}

# number of elements in an array
element_count=${#colors[@]} 

# Delete the contents of an entire array
unset colors                 

# Delete a certain element
unset colors[1]

# string concatenation
str="${str}$var"

# cut based on offset
mod_line=`echo $line | cut -c8-100`

# Fancy printing
printf "%s%45s \n" NEW OLD >> $out