[SOLVED] Bash if and?

jsteel · 08-17-2010, 10:04 AM

Hi,

I'm learning Bash and can't find how to say "if file1 exists and file2 exits then...".

I thought this may work:

Code:

file1="/root/file1"
file2="/root/file2"
if [ -e $file1 ] | [ -e $file2 ]
then

... but it doesn't. Where have I gone wrong?

Thanks

druuna · 08-17-2010, 10:11 AM

Hi,

You almost had it:

if [ -e $file1 ] || [ -e $file2 ]

|| instead of |

Hope this helps.

Hold on.... I read it wrong.

|| is an OR, what you need is an AND, which is &&

So this should be the correct answer: if [ -e $file1 ] && [ -e $file2 ]

konsolebox · 08-17-2010, 10:33 AM

In bash it's always better to use [[ than [:

Code:

if [[ -e $file1 && -e $file2 ]]; then
...
fi

With [ you are obliged to put variables inside double quotes (") or else the contents of the variables will be in danger of getting split due to IFS.

bigearsbilly · 08-17-2010, 10:59 AM

or even:

Code:

[ -e file1 -a -e file2 ]

jsteel · 08-17-2010, 03:53 PM

Thanks, that info helped a lot.

ghostdog74 · 08-17-2010, 08:42 PM

you can also use test

Code:

if test -e "$file" || test -e "$another" ;then
..
fi