TEST(1)                    Commands and Applications                   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.

       -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 integer 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  POSIX 1003.2, 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.

GNO CAVEATS

       The -b, -c, -g, and -u operators always cause a false return value  (as
       of GNO v2.0.4) since block- and character-special files, and the setuid
       and setgid bits are not currently available under GS/OS.

       Because of the implementation of stat(2) under GNO v2.0.4, the -x oper‐
       ator will return false if file is a directory.

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.

AUTHOR

       This  code  is derived from software contributed to Berkeley by Kenneth
       Almquist, and is based on BSD test version 5.4.

       The GNO port of test was done by Devin Reade, <gdr@gno.org>.

STANDARDS

       The test function is expected to be POSIX 1003.2 compatible.



GNO                             19 October 1997                        TEST(1)