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How can I make an if [ -f ] statement with wildcards?

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# 1  
Old 07-28-2004
Question How can I make an if [ -f ] statement with wildcards?
Normally you would have something like..

if [ -f FILENAME]
then
foo bar
fi

but what if you wanted to do something like

if [ -f FILENAME*]
then
foo bar
fi

How do I get Unix to accept anything that matches a pattern of FILENAME with anything after it during an in if statement?
LordJezo
# 2  
Old 07-28-2004
Quote:
but what if you wanted to do something like

if [ -f FILENAME*]
then
foo bar
fi
Do it. It worked for me.
# 3  
Old 07-28-2004
Well would you look at that.

Ha.

Thanks.
LordJezo
# 4  
Old 07-29-2004
Using test -f for multiple files is unsafe and you should be aware of its limitations. Say you have a directory that contains a file and a directory...

$ file *
adir: directory
afile: ascii text

Testing for the file....

$ if [ -f a* ]
> then
> echo true
> else
> echo false
> fi
false

...i.e. the wrong result!

See this thread for details.
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