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Full Discussion: Check to see if a file exists?
Top Forums Shell Programming and Scripting Check to see if a file exists? Post 302534814 by agama on Tuesday 28th of June 2011 10:38:22 PM
Old 06-28-2011
Quote:
Originally Posted by AlphaLexman
Code:
if [ -a myfile.txt ]

Should be be considered as an alternative.
Possibly being a bit too picky here....
Neither the POSIX nor the Linux man pages for test list -a as a valid syntax other than when used as an AND: expression -a expression . I believe that -a is deprecated and that -e is the preferred option to test if a file exists.

There is an interesting disclaimer in the SunOS version of the test manual page. It does list -a and -e, but indicates that neither is available under sh. This implies that the Bourne shell distributed by Sun is a customised version with the test command built-in rather than existing as an external binary. The OP didn't list their O/S, but if they are using some flavour of SunOS, then the -f option might be the best thing available, or they may need several specific tests if indeed they are sussing out non-regular files.
 

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sh

sh(1)							      General Commands Manual							     sh(1)

NAME

       sh - Shell, the standard command language interpreter

DESCRIPTION

       [Tru64  UNIX]  Tru64  UNIX  provides two command interpreters with the name sh.	The XCU5.0 and POSIX.2 compliant command interpreter sh is
       available in the file /usr/bin/posix/sh and is described in the sh(1p) reference page.  The Bourne shell,  historically	known  as  sh,	is
       available in the file /usr/bin/sh and is described in the sh(1b) reference page.

       [Tru64 UNIX]  Your initial, or login, shell is determined by your entry in the file /etc/passwd. This file can be changed only by your sys-
       tem administrator. You must use whatever procedures are in place at your location to have this entry changed.

       [Tru64 UNIX]  If available on your system, you may use the passwd -s or the chsh commands to change your login shell.

									  Note

       This option is not available if your site manages passwords through the Network Information Service (NIS) facility.  Check with your system
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       [Tru64 UNIX]  Subsequent shells spawned from the initial shell depend on the value in the environment variable BIN_SH.  If this variable is
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NOTES

       [Tru64 UNIX]  With Tru64 UNIX Version 4.0 the Korn shell, /usr/bin/ksh is the same as the POSIX shell /usr/bin/posix/sh.

RESTRICTIONS

       [Tru64 UNIX]  The file /etc/shells must include entries for both the POSIX shell /usr/bin/posix/sh and the Bourne  shell,  /usr/bin/sh.	If
       this file is incorrect, see your system administrator.

EXAMPLES

       Using  the  Bourne,  Korn,  or  POSIX  shell, to set the variable BIN_SH to use the POSIX/ XCU5.0compliant shell, enter: BIN_SH=xpg4 export
       BIN_SH Using the Bourne, Korn, or POSIX shell, to set the variable BIN_SH to use the SVR4 compliant shell, enter: BIN_SH=svr4 export BIN_SH
       Using the Bourne, Korn, or POSIX shell, to unset the variable BIN_SH, enter: unset BIN_SH Using the C/ shell, to set the variable BIN_SH to
       use the POSIX/XCU5.0 compliant shell, enter: setenv BIN_SH xpg4 Using the C/ shell, to set the variable BIN_SH to use  the  SVR4  compliant
       shell, enter: setenv BIN_SH svr4 Using the C/ shell, to unset the variable BIN_SH, enter: unsetenv BIN_SH

FILES

       User profile.  Contains user information, including the login shell name.  Contains the names of available and permitted shells.

SEE ALSO

       Commands:  csh(1), ksh(1), Bourne shell sh(1b), POSIX shell sh(1p), passwd(1)

       Files:  passwd(4), shells(4)

       Standards:  standards(5)

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