ksh: string handling using ${parameter%pattern} or a other option

[support_billa]

hello,

i have a string , seperated by "/" . i want the value from the middle of the text  ( bbb ). i tried to use ${parameter%pattern} or ${parameter#pattern} . but i need 3 steps . better option ?

example:

STR="/<aaa>/bbb/<ccc>"

HSTR=$( echo ${STR%/*} ) # /<aaa>/bbb

echo ${HSTR##/*/}        # bbb

or  a shorter command :

echo ${STR} | awk -F"/" '{ print $3}' # bbb

other possible commands are "sed" or "expr" .

kind regards

[Dennis Handly]

>but I need 3 steps.

Why do you care if it is three steps?  They are shell builtins and awk and sed aren't.