Editing Solaris 10 Associate (section)

=== using test command ===

* test command is useful in shell scripts to verify conditions, some conditions:
** variable contents
** file access permissions
** file types
* syntax: <code>test expression</code> or <code>[ expression ]</code>
* test command evaluates an expression & returns an exit status of zero if result is true otherwise result is false & returns a non-zero exit status

examples using test command:
<pre>
Solaris 10$ test -d /blahblah
Solaris 10$ echo $?
1
Solaris 10$ test -d /etc
Solaris 10$ echo $?
0
Solaris 10$ [ -d /etc ]
Solaris 10$ echo $?
0
Solaris 10$ [ -d /blahblah]
/bin/ksh: [: ']' missing
Solaris 10$ [ -d /blahblah ]
Solaris 10$ echo $?
1
Solaris 10$ echo $SHELL
/bin/bash
Solaris 10$ test "$SHELL" = "/bin/bash"
Solaris 10$ echo $?
0
Solaris 10$ test "$SHELL" = "/bin/nobash"
Solaris 10$ echo $?
1
Solaris 10$ [ "$SHELL" = "/bin/bash" ]
Solaris 10$ echo $?
0
Solaris 10$ [ "$SHELL" = "/bin/nobash" ]
Solaris 10$ echo $?
1
Solaris 10$ ls -l /etc/group
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 707 Apr 20 14:35 /etc/group
Solaris 10$
Solaris 10$ test -x /etc/group
Solaris 10$ echo $?
1
Solaris 10$ test -r /etc/group
Solaris 10$ echo $?
0</pre>

test options used in above example (from man page):
* -r FILE exists and read permission is granted
* -x FILE exists and execute (or search) permission is granted
* -d FILE exists and is a directory