path: root/bin/test/test.1

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.\"     @(#)test.1	8.1 (Berkeley) 5/31/93
.\"
.Dd $Mdocdate: January 6 2009 $
.Dt TEST 1
.Os
.Sh NAME
.Nm test
.Nd condition evaluation utility
.Sh SYNOPSIS
.Nm test
.Ar expression
.Nm [
.Ar expression
]
.Sh DESCRIPTION
The
.Nm
utility evaluates the
.Ar expression
and, if it evaluates
to true, returns a zero (true) exit status; otherwise
it returns 1 (false).
If no
.Ar expression
is given,
.Nm
also
returns 1 (false).
.Pp
All operators and flags are separate arguments to the
.Nm
utility.
Symbolic links are followed for all primaries except
.Fl h
and
.Fl L .
.Pp
The following primaries are used to construct
.Ar expression :
.Bl -tag -width Ds
.It Fl b Ar file
True if
.Ar file
exists and is a block special
file.
.It Fl c Ar file
True if
.Ar file
exists and is a character
special file.
.It Fl d Ar file
True if
.Ar file
exists and is a directory.
.It Fl e Ar file
True if
.Ar file
exists (regardless of type).
.It Fl f Ar file
True if
.Ar file
exists and is a regular file.
.It Fl G Ar file
True if
.Ar file
exists and its group matches the effective group ID of this process.
.It Fl g Ar file
True if
.Ar file
exists and its set-group-ID flag
is set.
.It Fl h Ar file
True if
.Ar file
exists and is a symbolic link.
.It Fl k Ar file
True if
.Ar file
exists and its sticky bit is set.
.It Fl L Ar file
True if
.Ar file
exists and is a symbolic link.
This operator is for compatibility purposes.
Do not rely on its existence;
use
.Fl h
instead.
.It Fl n Ar string
True if the length of
.Ar string
is nonzero.
.It Fl O Ar file
True if
.Ar file
exists and its owner matches the effective user ID of this process.
.It Fl p Ar file
True if
.Ar file
is a named pipe
.Pq Tn FIFO .
.It Fl r Ar file
True if
.Ar file
exists and is readable.
.It Fl S Ar file
True if
.Ar file
exists and is a socket.
.It Fl s Ar file
True if
.Ar file
exists and has a size greater
than zero.
.It Fl t Ar file_descriptor
True if the file whose file descriptor number
is
.Ar file_descriptor
(default 1) is open and is associated with a terminal.
.It Fl u Ar file
True if
.Ar file
exists and its set-user-ID flag
is set.
.It Fl w Ar file
True if
.Ar file
exists and is writable.
True
indicates only that the write flag is on.
The file is not writable on a read-only file
system even if this test indicates true.
.It Fl x Ar file
True if
.Ar file
exists and is executable.
True
indicates only that the execute flag is on.
If
.Ar file
is a directory, true indicates that
.Ar file
can be searched.
.It Fl z Ar string
True if the length of
.Ar string
is zero.
.It Ar file1 Fl nt Ar file2
True if
.Ar file1
exists and is newer than
.Ar file2 .
.It Ar file1 Fl ot Ar file2
True if
.Ar file1
exists and is older than
.Ar file2 .
.It Ar file1 Fl ef Ar file2
True if
.Ar file1
and
.Ar file2
exist and refer to the same file.
.It Ar s1 Cm = Ar s2
True if the strings
.Ar s1
and
.Ar s2
are identical.
.It Ar s1 Cm != Ar s2
True if the strings
.Ar s1
and
.Ar s2
are not identical.
.It Ar s1 Cm \*(Lt Ar s2
True if string
.Ar s1
comes before
.Ar s2
based on the ASCII value of their characters.
.It Ar s1 Cm \*(Gt Ar s2
True if string
.Ar s1
comes after
.Ar s2
based on the ASCII value of their characters.
.It Ar s1
True if
.Ar s1
is not the null
string.
.It Ar n1 Fl eq Ar n2
True if the integers
.Ar n1
and
.Ar n2
are algebraically
equal.
.It Ar n1 Fl ne Ar n2
True if the integers
.Ar n1
and
.Ar n2
are not
algebraically equal.
.It Ar n1 Fl gt Ar n2
True if the integer
.Ar n1
is algebraically
greater than the integer
.Ar n2 .
.It Ar n1 Fl ge Ar n2
True if the integer
.Ar n1
is algebraically
greater than or equal to the integer
.Ar n2 .
.It Ar n1 Fl \&lt Ar n2
True if the integer
.Ar n1
is algebraically less
than the integer
.Ar n2 .
.It Ar n1 Fl le Ar n2
True if the integer
.Ar n1
is algebraically less
than or equal to the integer
.Ar n2 .
.El
.Pp
These primaries can be combined with the following operators.
The
.Fl a
operator has higher precedence than the
.Fl o
operator.
.Bl -tag -width Ds
.It Cm \&! Ar expression
True if
.Ar expression
is false.
.It Ar expression1 Fl a Ar expression2
True if both
.Ar expression1
and
.Ar expression2
are true.
.It Ar expression1 Fl o Ar expression2
True if either
.Ar expression1
or
.Ar expression2
are true.
.It Cm \&( Ns Ar expression Ns Cm \&)
True if
.Ar expression
is true.
.El
.Sh GRAMMAR AMBIGUITY
The
.Nm
grammar is inherently ambiguous.
In order to assure a degree of consistency,
the cases described in
.St -p1003.2
section D11.2/4.62.4
are evaluated consistently according to the rules specified in the
standards document.
All other cases are subject to the ambiguity in the
command semantics.
.Sh RETURN VALUES
The
.Nm
utility exits with one of the following values:
.Bl -tag -width Ds
.It 0
Expression evaluated to true.
.It 1
Expression evaluated to false or expression was
missing.
.It \*(Gt1
An error occurred.
.El
.Sh SEE ALSO
.Xr ksh 1
.Sh STANDARDS
The
.Nm
utility is compliant with the
.St -p1003.1-2004
specification.
.Pp
The primaries
.Fl G ,
.Fl k ,
.Fl O ,
.Fl nt ,
.Fl ot ,
.Fl ef ,
.Cm \*(Lt ,
and
.Cm \*(Gt
are extensions to that specification.
.Pp
.Nm
also exists as a built-in to
.Xr ksh 1 ,
though with a different syntax.