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Check if a text file is empty or not (using ls -s)

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# 1  
Old 02-17-2010
Check if a text file is empty or not (using ls -s)
Hello,
I want to make a script which says if a text file is empty or not.
I tried two ways of making it, but I have problems with both of them.
Now I think that the better way is the ls -s solution (considering that an empty text file has a 0 weight, because "cat file.txt" fails when file is empty.

Here is my script:
Code:
#!/bin/bash
TEST=`ls -s test.txt`
if [ $TEST != "0 test.txt" ]
then
echo "Your file is not empty"
else
echo "Your file is empty"
fi

The error:
Code:
script.sh: line 4: [: too many arguments

# 2  
Old 02-17-2010
Code:
if [ -s test.txt ]
then 
  echo "File is NOT empty"
else
  echo "File is empty"
fi

# 3  
Old 02-17-2010
Try "test -s" which abbreviates the following:

Code:
#!/bin/bash
if [ -s "test.txt" ]
then
         echo "Your file is not empty"
else
         echo "Your file is empty"
fi

# 4  
Old 02-17-2010
Two things to think about
1) Would recommend using another variable name then TEST as TEST is also a command. Do a "man test" at your prompt to see this.
2) Your variable $TEST should be in quotes "$TEST" as it will expand out with one or more spaces.
# 5  
Old 02-17-2010
Thanks, it woked with test -s Smilie

I will rename my variable
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