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Checking whether the entered text is file or not

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# 1  
Old 03-08-2013
Checking whether the entered text is file or not
how to check that the "file path" entered by the user has the valid file.
# 2  
Old 03-08-2013
I think we discussed a similar requirement in post #13 of this thread.
File tests are mostly the same in shell/perl.
Read the manpages of "test" --> man test
# 3  
Old 03-08-2013
I usually do this with file command. If the exit status is returned in success, it means the file or the path is okay.

verifying a single file and then checking the exit status.

Code:
# file /usr/share/readline/inputrc
/usr/share/readline/inputrc: ASCII English text
# echo $?
0
#


verify the existing of directory

Code:
# file /usr/share/readline
/usr/share/readline: directory
# echo $?
0
#


Similarly, verifying a non existing file with exit status.

Code:
# file /usr/share/readline/ThisWillbeAnError
/usr/share/readline/ThisWillbeAnError: ERROR: cannot open `/usr/share/readline/ThisWillbeAnError' (No such file or directory)
#echo $?
1
#


alternatively, you can do a test on the file/path using
Code:
[[ -d /path/to/directory ]]

in
Code:
if else

structure.

like:

Code:
if [[ -d /home/user ]]; then
echo "/home/user is a directory"
fi

# 4  
Old 03-08-2013
let me elaborate it a bit..

the path entered by the user is supposed to be something like "$ABCD/defef/geft.txt" and i want to check if anything out of "$ABCD/defef/geft.txt" is mistyped. The script should exit.

and if, only $ABCD or defef or gef.txt is entered by the user, still script should exit.

i tried this



Code:
$Input_filename=$ARGV[0];
	
if (!-e $Input_filename $$ !-d $Input_filename) 
{
	print "the file does not exist, Please enter a valid file name";
	exit;
}


please suggest where i am mistaken...
Last edited by Rashid Khan; 03-08-2013 at 03:45 AM.. Reason: Please use code tags for data and code samples
# 5  
Old 03-08-2013
why are you using "$$"...are you by any chance refering to pid of the current shell script or this is a typo for "&&" which is AND in condition matching..

shouldn't be that
Code:
if (!-e $Input_filename && !-d $Input_filename)

---------- Post updated at 02:02 PM ---------- Previous update was at 01:54 PM ----------

2ndly

if you making test using if-else try using [[ ]] braces or the test built-in. This is more approperiate...never used ( ) for testing

Code:
if  [[ ! -e $Input_filename && !-d $Input_filename ]]

or
Code:
if test ! -e $Input_filename  -a -d $Input_filename

# 6  
Old 03-08-2013
hi busyboy...

That '$$' was a typing mistake.

thanks for the code its working fine....

Smilie Smilie
# 7  
Old 03-08-2013
welcome
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