2.11BSD#431 - /usr/man/cat1/test.0

TEST(1)             UNIX Programmer's Manual		  TEST(1)


NAME
     test - condition evaluation utility

SYNOPSIS
     test expression

DESCRIPTION
     The test utility evaluates the expression and, if it evalu-
     ates to true, returns a zero (true) exit status; otherwise
     it returns 1 (false).  If there is no expression, test also
     returns 1 (false).

     All operators and flags are separate arguments to the test
     utility.

     The following primaries are used to construct expression:

      -b   file
	  True if file exists and is a block special file.

      -c   file
	  True if file exists and is a character special file.

      -d   file
	  True if file exists and is a directory.

      -e   file
	  True if file exists (regardless of type).

      -f   file
	  True if file exists and is a regular file.

      -g   file
	  True if file exists and its set group ID flag is set.

      -h   file
	  True if file exists and is a symbolic link.

      -n   string
	  True if the length of string is nonzero.

      -p   file
	  True if file is a named pipe

      -r   file
	  True if file exists and is readable.

      -s   file
	  True if file exists and has a size greater than zero.

      -t   [file_descriptor]
	  True if the file whose file descriptor number is


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TEST(1)             UNIX Programmer's Manual		  TEST(1)


	  file_descriptor (default 1) is open and is associated
	  with a terminal.

      -u   file
	  True if file exists and its set user ID flag is set.

      -w   file
	  True if file exists and is writable.	True indicates
	  only that the write flag is on.  The file is not writ-
	  able on a read-only file system even if this test indi-
	  cates true.

      -x   file
	  True if file exists and is executable.  True indicates
	  only that the execute flag is on.  If file is a direc-
	  tory, true indicates that file can be searched.

      -z   string
	  True if the length of string is zero.

      string
	  True if string is not the null string.

      s1   =   s2
	  True if the strings s1 and s2 are identical.

      s1   !=	s2
	  True if the strings s1 and s2 are not identical.

      n1   -eq	 n2
	  True if the integers n1 and n2 are algebraically equal.

      n1   -ne	 n2
	  True if the integers n1 and n2 are not algebraically
	  equal.

      n1   -gt	 n2
	  True if the integer n1 is algebraically greater than
	  the integer n2 .

      n1   -ge	 n2
	  True if the integer n1 is algebraically greater than or
	  equal to the integer n2 .

      n1   -lt	 n2
	  True if the integer n1 is algebraically less than the
	  integer n2 .

      n1   -le	 n2
	  True if the integer n1 is algebraically less than or
	  equal to the integer n2 .


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TEST(1)             UNIX Programmer's Manual		  TEST(1)


	  These primaries can be combined with the following opera-
	  tors:


     ! expression
	  True if expression is false.

      expression1   -a	 expression2
	  True if both expression1 and expression2 are true.

      expression1   -o	 expression2
	  True if either expression1 or expression2 are true.

      (expression)
	  True if expression is true.

	  The
	  -a operator has higher precedence than the -o operator.

GRAMMAR AMBIGUITY
     The test grammar is inherently ambiguous.	In order to
     assure a degree of consistency, the cases described in the
     IEEE Std 1003.2 ("POSIX"), section D11.2/4.62.4, standard
     are evaluated consistently according to the rules specified
     in the standards document.  All other cases are subject to
     the ambiguity in the command semantics.

RETURN VALUES
     The test utility exits with one of the following values:

     0	  expression evaluated to true.

     1	  expression evaluated to false or expression was miss-
	  ing.

     >1   An error occurred.

BUGS
     Named pipes are not implemented in 2.11BSD.

STANDARDS
     The test function is expected to be IEEE Std 1003.2
     ("POSIX") compatible.


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