bash directory

BryDawg · 03-10-2010, 05:39 AM

Hey Guys! I am trying to figure out how to make my while loop determine if the parameter typed in is a directory, my loop looks like this, but for some reason, every time i run ./myscript /etc or any other directory, it does not recognize it as a directory, hope you can help,

bmt

# make_page - A script to mimic the tree command
while [ "$1" != "" ]; do
case $1 in
-d | $DIRECTORY ) shift
my_tree
;;
-h | --help ) helpmedog
exit
;;
* ) psyke
exit 1

esac
shift
done

acid_kewpie · 03-10-2010, 05:51 AM

I can't see anything looks for a directory. there's no test command or anything. How are you expecting this decision to be made??

[ -d "$1" ] && some_directory_function

BryDawg · 03-10-2010, 06:16 AM

that is what I am asking.

BryDawg · 03-10-2010, 06:22 AM

so like if somebody enters a directory after my file, i need something to let my bash script send that directory to a function that will list it arraigned however i feel fit. ( like tree command) . .

pixellany · 03-10-2010, 06:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BryDawg

that is what I am asking.

Well---he showed you an example of how to use the "test" command ("[" is a synonym for "test")

Note: In your "case" statement you appear to be looking for the value of the first passed arguement ($1). In the first case, you are looking for a value of "-d" or a value equal to the contents of the variable "DIRECTORY". What was your intent here?

acid_kewpie · 03-10-2010, 06:32 AM

well I gave you a simple example to do something if $1 is a valid directory.

BryDawg · 03-10-2010, 06:44 AM

Yea that is my intent, but when i send in a directory as a $1, it does to pick it up as a parameter, the purpose of the loop is to continually search until it comes up with something, it might not even be the first argument all the time, I just what the argument that is passed as a directory to be collected and sent to a function.

pixellany · 03-10-2010, 07:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BryDawg

Yea that is my intent, but when i send in a directory as a $1, it does to pick it up as a parameter, the purpose of the loop is to continually search until it comes up with something

I do not understand this.....Please give an example of how you are calling the script: Show the command used and the result (cut and paste from your terminal).

Note: where does the variable "DIRECTORY" get set? Making it all caps implies that it is a standard environment variable, but that's note the case--at least on my system.

acid_kewpie · 03-10-2010, 08:14 AM

a loop of what?? you're shifting through all the parameters passed to a script, can't imagine any functional implementation of a tree traversal program where that'd make sense.