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uncertainty about command "test"
From: |
Jan-Herbert Damm |
Subject: |
uncertainty about command "test" |
Date: |
Sun, 22 Feb 2004 11:13:41 +0100 |
dear gnu-people,
trying to learn programming the bash-shell (of the valhalla release by
red hat linux) i have encountered many puzzling problems that eventually
i could find the simple solution to. many times this was due to some
detail i had overseen.
but now i have a problem that i cannot explain to myself:
the command "test" seems not to work as it should.
i want to test an empty file "xyz" with the following syntax: test
-s xyz && echo empty
this doesn't work. (command not found) if i spell the same command as: [
xyz -s ] && echo empty
i get the remark "[: unary operator expected" but if i type: [ xyz-s]...
or [ -sxyz ]... or test -sxyz...
the command seems to work. it seems unlogical to me that the blank is
not wanted by the command but i could put up with that. but now: if i
run the same test with a not empty file it it still found empty by the
command (it exits with status 0). what gives me to think a lot that if i
enquire the exit status with $? i get this remark "bash: 0: command not
found".
i hope you understand what i'm talking about and have the time to clear
me up about what i'm doing wrong.
best regards from jan-herbert damm, berlin, germany
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