format of bash script

Question

I am getting errors when running this bash script. I have checked in all manuals, it looks okay to me?

Help appreciated.

  #!/bin/sh
  HOME=/var/www
  sleep 20
  echo 'running' > $HOME/script-1-output.txt
  if  (-f $HOME/script-2-output.txt )
    echo 'script-2 has run' >> $HOME/script-1-output.txt
  else
    echo 'script-2 has not run' >> $HOME/script-1-output.txt
  fi
  if  (-f $HOME/script-3-output.txt)
    echo 'script-3 has run' >> $HOME/script-1-output.txt
  else
    echo 'script-3 has not run' >> $HOME/script-1-output.txt
  fi

What errors? Where? EDIT: I believe you need if [ -f $HOME/script-2-output.txt ], same with the other if - note the square brackets, and spaces. Still, for next time, remember to include all the relevant info. — Amadan
– Amadan, Commented Sep 10, 2013 at 23:33

interskh · Accepted Answer · 2013-09-10 23:39:22Z

2

In bash, if conditions are wrapped between [] not (). There should always be space between condition and square brackets. And you need then in if-then-else-fi syntax.

if [ -f file.txt ]; then
    echo "yes"
else
    echo "no"
fi

answered Sep 10, 2013 at 23:39

interskh

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2 Comments

augurar Over a year ago

Actually, the [ and ] are special syntax for the test command, so [ -f file.txt ] is equivalent to test -f file.txt. It is more correct to say that in bash, you don't use any braces at all around the condition of an if statement. if test -f file.txt; then ... is equally correct.

Aleks-Daniel Jakimenko-A. Over a year ago

It is more correct to say that in bash you use [[ ]] around the conditional expressions. if [[ -f file.txt ]]; then

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