What does this sh script line do?

[der Mouse]

In article <1991Jun06.172119.19494 at ka3ovk>, albers at ka3ovk (Jon Albers) writes:

[trying to install C news on a system with an oooold sh]

> . ${NEWSCONFIG-/usr/lib/news/bin/config}

> It blows up on this line with the error 'Bad substitution', however,
> under SCO UNIX, it work just fine.  What is it supposed to be doing?

$NEWSCONFIG unless $NEWSCONFIG is not set, in which case
/usr/lib/news/bin/config.

Given the usage, you could do something like

if [ "x$NEWSCONFIG" = "x" ]; then
	NEWSCONFIG=/usr/lib/news/bin/config
fi
. $NEWSCONFIG

(This is not a general replacement for the ${name-string} syntax; it's
not supposed to be.  It's supposed to be something that *might* be good
enough to get C news running for the original poster.)

					der Mouse

			old: mcgill-vision!mouse
			new: mouse at larry.mcrcim.mcgill.edu