TEST

test − check file types and compare values

test EXPRESSION
test EXPRESSION ]
test OPTION

Exit with the status determined by EXPRESSION.

−−help

display this help and exit

−−version

output version information and exit

EXPRESSION is true or false and sets exit status. It is one of:

( EXPRESSION )

EXPRESSION is true

! EXPRESSION

EXPRESSION is false

EXPRESSION1 −a EXPRESSION2

both EXPRESSION1 and EXPRESSION2 are true

EXPRESSION1 −o EXPRESSION2

either EXPRESSION1 or EXPRESSION2 is true

[-n] STRING

the length of STRING is nonzero

−z STRING

the length of STRING is zero

STRING1 = STRING2

the strings are equal

STRING1 != STRING2

the strings are not equal

INTEGER1 −eq INTEGER2

INTEGER1 is equal to INTEGER2

INTEGER1 −ge INTEGER2

INTEGER1 is greater than or equal to INTEGER2

INTEGER1 −gt INTEGER2

INTEGER1 is greater than INTEGER2

INTEGER1 −le INTEGER2

INTEGER1 is less than or equal to INTEGER2

INTEGER1 −lt INTEGER2

INTEGER1 is less than INTEGER2

INTEGER1 −ne INTEGER2

INTEGER1 is not equal to INTEGER2

FILE1 −ef FILE2

FILE1 and FILE2 have the same device and inode numbers

FILE1 −nt FILE2

FILE1 is newer (modification date) than FILE2

FILE1 −ot FILE2

FILE1 is older than FILE2

−b FILE

FILE exists and is block special

−c FILE

FILE exists and is character special

−d FILE

FILE exists and is a directory

−e FILE

FILE exists

−f FILE

FILE exists and is a regular file

−g FILE

FILE exists and is set-group-ID

−G FILE

FILE exists and is owned by the effective group ID

−k FILE

FILE exists and has its sticky bit set

−L FILE

FILE exists and is a symbolic link

−O FILE

FILE exists and is owned by the effective user ID

−p FILE

FILE exists and is a named pipe

−r FILE

FILE exists and is readable

−s FILE

FILE exists and has a size greater than zero

−S FILE

FILE exists and is a socket

−t [FD]

file descriptor FD (stdout by default) is opened on a terminal

−u FILE

FILE exists and its set-user-ID bit is set

−w FILE

FILE exists and is writable

−x FILE

FILE exists and is executable

Beware that parentheses need to be escaped (e.g., by backslashes) for shells. INTEGER may also be −l STRING, which evaluates to the length of STRING.

Report bugs to <bug-sh-utils@gnu.org>.

The full documentation for test is maintained as a Texinfo manual. If the info and test programs are properly installed at your site, the command

info test

should give you access to the complete manual.

Copyright © 1999 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
This is free software; see the source for copying conditions. There is NO warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.