Shell command: test

Binary operators

`-a`	and
`-o`	or
`-ef`	Same device and inode number
`-ot`	Left hand file is older than right hand file

Unary operators

`(…)`
`!`	not
`=`	String equality
`-eq`	Integer equality
`!=`	String inequality
`-ge`	Greater or equal (integer)
`-gt`	Greater than (integer)
`-le`	Less or equal (integer)
`-lt`	Less than (integer)
`-z`	Length (of string) is zero
`-n`	Length (of string) is not zero
`-l`	Evaluates to the length of the given string

File and file descriptor tests

The following operators test if the argument is a file with a special characteristic

`-b`	block special
`-c`	character special
`-d`	directory
`-e`	file exists
`-f`	regular file
`-g`	set-group-ID
`-G`	owned by the effective group ID
`-h`	symbolic link, same as `-L`
`-k`	has its sticky bit set
`-L`	symbolic link, same as `-h`
`-N`	has been modified since it was last read
`-O`	owned by the effective user ID
`-p`	named pipe
`-r`	read permission is granted
`-s`	has a size greater than zero
`-S`	is a socket
`-t`	Argument is an integer that represents an opened file descriptor on a terminal
`-u`	its set-user-ID bit is set
`-w`	write permission is granted
`-x`	execute (or search) permission is granted

Except for -h and -L, all file-related tests dereference symbolic links.

Script

#!/bin/sh
#
#  TODO:  -G, -L, -N, -O, -S, -ef, -nt, -ot, -o, -v, -R, -z, -n, ==, =, !=, <, >, -eq, -ne, -lt, -le, -gt, -ge
#
test_file() {

  echo
  echo testing $1

  if [ -a $1 ]; then
     echo "  File exists"
  else
     echo "  File does not exist"
  fi

  if [ -b $1 ]; then
     echo "  Block special file"
  else
     echo "  No block special file"
  fi

  if [ -c $1 ]; then
     echo "  Character special file"
  else
     echo "  No character special file"
  fi

  if [ -d $1 ]; then
     echo "  Is a directory"
  else
     echo "  Is not a directory"
  fi

  if [ -e $1 ]; then
     echo "  File exists"
  else
     echo "  File does not exist"
  fi

  if [ -f $1 ]; then
     echo "  Regular file"
  else
     echo "  No regular file"
  fi

  if [ -g $1 ]; then
     echo "  set-group-id bit is set"
  else
     echo "  set-group-id bit is not set"
  fi

  if [ -h $1 ]; then
     echo "  File is symbolic link"
  else
     echo "  File is not a symbolic link"
  fi

  if [ -k $1 ]; then
     echo "  Sticky bit is set"
  else
     echo "  Sticky bit not set"
  fi

  if [ -p $1 ]; then
     echo "  Named pipe (FIFO)"
  else
     echo "  No named pipe (FIFO)"
  fi

  if [ -r $1 ]; then
     echo "  File is readable"
  else
     echo "  File is not readable"
  fi

  if [ -s $1 ]; then
     echo "  File size > 0"
  else
     echo "  File size = 0 or file does not exist" 
  fi

  if [ -t $1 ]; then
     echo "  File descriptor open and refers to terminal"
  else
     echo "  File descriptor not open or not referring to terminal" 
  fi

  if [ -u $1 ]; then
     echo "  set-user-id bit is set"
  else
     echo "  set-user-id bit is not set"
  fi

  if [ -w $1 ]; then
     echo "  File is writable"
  else
     echo "  File is not writeable"
  fi

  if [ -x $1 ]; then
     echo "  File is executable"
  else
     echo "  File is not executable"
  fi

}

test_file Conditional-Expressions
test_file $1

Github repository shell-commands, path: /test/do-test

Shell command: test

Binary operators

Unary operators

File and file descriptor tests

Script

See also