test

NAME

test, [ - condition evaluation utility

SYNOPSIS

test expression
[ expression ]

DESCRIPTION

The test(1) utility evaluates the expression and, if it evaluates to true, returns a zero (true) exit status; otherwise it returns 1 (false). If there is no expression, test also returns 1 (false).

All operators and flags are separate arguments to the test(1) utility.

The following primaries are used to construct expression:

-b file

True if file exists and is a block special file.

-c file

True if file exists and is a character special file.

-d file

True if file exists and is a directory.

-e file

True if file exists (regardless of type).

-f file

True if file exists and is a regular file.

-g file

True if file exists and its set group identifier (ID) flag is set.

-n string

True if the length of string is nonzero.

-p file

True if file is a named pipe (first-in/first-out [FIFO]).

-r file

True if file exists and is readable.

-s file

True if file exists and has a size greater than zero.

-t file_descriptor

True if the file whose file descriptor number is file_descriptor (default 1) is open and is associated with a terminal.

-u file

True if file exists and its set user ID flag is set.

-w file

True if file exists and is writable. True indicates only that the write flag is on. The file is not writable on a read-only file system even if this test indicates true.

-x file

True if file exists and is executable. True indicates only that the execute flag is on. If file is a directory, true indicates that file can be searched.

-z string

True if the length of string is zero.

string

True if string is not the null string.

s1 = s2

True if the strings s1 and s2 are identical.

s1 != s2

True if the strings s1 and s2 are not identical.

n1 -eq n2

True if the integers n1 and n2 are algebraically equal.

n1 -ne n2

True if the integers n1 and n2 are not algebraically equal.

n1 -gt n2

True if the integer n1 is algebraically greater than the integer n2.

n1 -ge n2

True if the integer n1 is algebraically greater than or equal to the integer n2.

n1 -lt n2

True if the integer n1 is algebraically less than the integer n2.

n1 -le n2

True if the integer n1 is algebraically less than or equal to the integer n2.

These primaries can be combined with the following operators:

! expression

True if expression is false.

expression1 -a expression2

True if both expression1 and expression2 are true.

expression1 -o expression2

True if either expression1 or expression2 are true.

(expression)

True if expression is true.

The -a operator has higher precedence than the -o operator.

DIAGNOSTICS

The test(1) utility exits with one of the following values:

0

Expression evaluated to true.

1

Expression evaluated to false or expression was missing.

>1

An error occurred.