suse 9.2 - /usr/bin/[ Executable

nathanv117 · 01-20-2005, 01:26 PM

suse 9.2 - /usr/bin/[ Executable - what is this?

By accident I saw this executable file 28.8 kb with no links! Can not execute as a console command or from Konqr.

linux:~ # cd /usr/bin
linux:/usr/bin # ./[
./[: missing `]'
linux:/usr/bin #

Any idea what is this for?

rtspitz · 01-20-2005, 06:17 PM

try this and have a laugh:

Code:

/usr/bin/[ --help

it seems to be the 'test' program, but somehow somebody renamed it for some reason.

jschiwal · 01-20-2005, 07:38 PM

The '[ ' command is part of the bash '[ ... ]' construct. I think it is an external command as well as a built in for historic reasons. Because that is how it was done by the Bourne shell.

The built in command test is synonymous with [ ... ].

nathanv117 · 01-23-2005, 09:20 AM

Thanks rtspitz.