#!/bin/sh if [ "$#" -eq 0 ]; then set -- /dev/stdin fi for pathname do gawk -f awk_prac.awk "$pathname" done

Do not pass arguments right into subshell, it's as unsafe as eval.

I have used this bash one-liner before set -- "${@:1:$(($#-1))}" It sets the argument list to the current argument list, less the last argument.