Bash return value of test -e $file always returns false

kzpm Published at Dev

kzpm

I would like to check if a path is valid in Bash. However the lower code always returns false, even if the path is valid.

# Test if path is valid
mytest=$(test -e $myPath && test -f $myPath)

if [[ ! $mytest ]]; then 
        echo 'Path invalid. Stop..'
        exit 
fi

How can I improve the code?

glenn jackman

$() command substitution captures the output of a command, not the exit status.

$mytest will be empty
[[ ... ]] with only one operand (not counting !) returns "true" if the operand is not empty. Because $mytest is empty, the test result is "false negated"

To fix it:

following your style:

test -e "$myPath" && test -f "$myPath"   # quote your variables
mytest=$?                                # capture the exit status immediately

if [[ $mytest -ne 0 ]]; then 
    echo 'Path invalid. Stop..'
    exit 
fi

more idiomatic bash:

if [[ ! (-e $myPath && -f $myPath) ]]; then 
    echo 'Path invalid. Stop..' >&2
    exit 
fi

Collected from the Internet

Please contact [email protected] to delete if infringement.

edited at2023-01-25

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