TEST(1) MachTen Reference Manual TEST(1)

NAME
test - condition evaluation utility

SYNOPSIS
test expression

DESCRIPTION
The test utility evaluates the expression and, if it evaluates 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.

-k file True if file exists and its sticky bit is set.

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

-p file True if file is a named pipe (FIFO).

-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
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 writable on a
read-only file system even if this test indicates true.

-x file True if file exists and is executable. True indicates only
that the execute flag is on. If file is a directory, 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 inte-
ger n2.

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

These primaries can be combined with the following operators:

! 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 Std1003.2 (‘‘POSIX’’), sec-
tion 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 missing.

>1 An error occurred.

STANDARDS
The test function is expected to be IEEE Std1003.2 (‘‘POSIX’’) compati-
ble.

4.4BSD May 31, 1993 2