Test -a and -e

[Jan Schampera]

Hello list,

Code:
$ [ ! -e /bin/bash ] && echo "Doesn't exist"; [ -e /bin/bash ] && echo
"Exists"

Output:
Exists


Code:
$ [ ! -a /bin/bash ] && echo "Doesn't exist"; [ -a /bin/bash ] && echo
"Exists"

Output:
Doesn't exist
Exists


It seems there's a difference between -a and -e, though they are (as far
as I can see) documented to do the same thing.

Anybody knows what's going on? May it be confused by the test
functionality to default to "non-empty string" and a AND (-a)?

Jan