title: Unix Script reading a specific line and position
body: <p>I need to have a script read the files coming in and check information for verification.</p>
  
  <p>On the first line of the files to be read is a date but in numeric form.  eg: 20080923 
  But before the date is other information, I need to read it from position 27. Meaning line 1 position 27, I need to get that number and see if it’s greater then another number.</p>
  
  <p>I use the grep command to check other information but I use special characters to search, in this case the information before the date is always different, so I can’t use a character to search on.  It has to be done by line 1 position 27.</p>