Korn Shell Programming by Example

shift

Official Description

Shifts positional parameters to the left ($2 becomes $1 and so on).

Syntax

shift [n]

Options

None

Oddities

Decrements $# (parameter count) after the shift.

There is no right shift—only a left shift.

Example

$ set den cheryl chris scott # Set up four positional parameters
$
$ print $1                   # $1 contains den
den
$
$ shift                      # Shift to the left by 1
$
$ print $1                   # $1 now contains cheryl
cheryl
$
$ print $#                   # Parameter count is now 3
3
$
$ shift 2                    # Shift by 2
$
$ print $#                   # Count is down to one
1
$
$ print $1                   # $1 now contains scott
scott
$