PARAM=abcdefg echo ${PARAM:1 ? 4 : 2} echo ${PARAM:1 ? 4 : 2:1} echo ${PARAM: 4<5 ? 4 : 2} echo ${PARAM: 5>4 ? 4 : 2:1} echo ${PARAM:${OFFSET:-0}} OFFSET=4 echo ${PARAM:${OFFSET:-0}}