On Thu, May 05, 2011 at 09:17:01PM -0700, website reader wrote:
> What is the correct syntax for the following simple bash script test command
> on (1) when using the wild card character * to match?
>
> I have a set of files, and simply want the test to locate at least one file,
> but the wild card * asterisk character seems to mess up the test command by
> finding too many matches.
>
> (1) if test -e m* ; then echo "found" ; fi
>
> If I write
>
> (2) if test -e `ls m* | head -1` ; then echo "found"; fi
>
> and don't have any files matching m*, the bash script executes, finds
> nothing (as expected) but gets a success on the 'ls m* | head -1` script
> execution and then echos "found"
>
> How is the bash script written correctly so it will echo found if any m*
> files exist?
The ls stands in for the -e test:
FILE_THERE=`ls m* 2>/dev/null | head -1`
if [ $FILE_THERE ];
then
echo found $FILE_THERE
fi
--
Michael Rasmussen, Portland Oregon
Trading kilograms for kilometers since 2003
Be appropriate && Follow your curiosity
http://www.jamhome.us/
The Fortune Cookie Fortune today is:
Chickens are pets with benefits.
~ Michael Rasmussen
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