[Wp-mirror-list] Attempting to mirror on laptop

[wp mirror]

Dear Benjamin,

Thank you very much for your diagnostics.  I think we are closing in
on the problem.

0) Preamble

Error messages like the one you provided:

[: 15773: -a: unexpected operator

refer to the shell commands like:

if [ -a $IMAGE./2/28/Hw\-augustus.jpg ]; then

and

        if [ -a $IMAGE./Hw\-augustus.jpg ]; then

This is quite interesting because this means that your shell is not
recognizing a valid BASH expression (one containing the -a operator).
Perhaps your default shell is DASH, which does not have the -a
operator.

The first line of every i-chunk reads:

#!/bin/sh

So, let us determine whether or not your default shell is BASH.

1) BASH

Please show me your output for the following commands:

shell> ls -l /bin/*sh
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 926536 Apr 10  2010 /bin/bash
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 104168 Dec 14  2010 /bin/dash
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root      4 Feb 14  2011 /bin/rbash -> bash
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root      4 Feb 14  2011 /bin/sh -> bash

shell> man bash
<snip>
CONDITIONAL EXPRESSIONS
       Conditional  expressions  are  used  by the [[ compound command and the
       test and [ builtin commands to test file attributes and perform  string
       and  arithmetic comparisons.  Expressions are formed from the following
       unary or binary primaries.  If any file argument to  one  of  the  pri‐
       maries is of the form /dev/fd/n, then file descriptor n is checked.  If
       the file argument to  one  of  the  primaries  is  one  of  /dev/stdin,
       /dev/stdout,  or /dev/stderr, file descriptor 0, 1, or 2, respectively,
       is checked.

       Unless otherwise specified, primaries that operate on files follow sym‐
       bolic links and operate on the target of the link, rather than the link
       itself.

       When used with [[, The < and > operators sort  lexicographically  using
       the current locale.

      See  the description of the test builtin command (section SHELL BUILTIN
       COMMANDS below) for the handling of parameters (i.e.   missing  parame‐
       ters).

       -a file
              True if file exists.
       -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.
       -f file
              True if file exists and is a regular file.
<snip>

2) DASH

shell> man dash
<snip>
     test expression

     [ expression ]
            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 util‐
            ity.

            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.
<snip>

3) wp-mirror

One possible way for me to eliminate this problem in future would be
to replace every

           -a file

with

           -f file

Another way would be to replace

#!/bin/sh

with

#!/bin/bash

Your thoughts would be most welcome.

Sincerely Yours,
Kent