testing if a file is present

[Jon H. LaBadie]

In article <2549 at root44.co.uk>, gwc at root.co.uk (Geoff Clare) writes:
> 
> 	test -f file -o -d file -o -c file -o -b file -o -p file
> 
> but I don't count that as "equivalent"!
> 

OK, granted, but how about the nearly equivalent

	test ! -f file

It will be true when you want a regular file of the indicated name
and false if said file does not exist or is a type other than regular.

Another possibility not mentioned in this thread (and with its own
limitations) is test -s file.  For this to be true, the file must
exist and have some content (i.e. not an empty file).

Jon

-- 
Jon LaBadie
{att, princeton, bcr, attmail!auxnj}!jonlab!jon