Re: ls doesn't work in if statements in bash 4.3

[billycongo]

On Wednesday, March 26, 2014 8:30:12 PM UTC-4, billy...@gmail.com wrote:
> I tested on bash 4.3 and 3.0
> 
> 
> 
> testing]$ bash --version
> 
> bash --version
> 
> GNU bash, version 4.3.0(1)-release (x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu)
> 
> 
> 
> In a directory I have:
> 
> 
> 
> testing]$ ls -l
> 
> total 16
> 
> -rw-r--r-- 1 hpierce hpierce 77 Mar 26 20:09 dog1
> 
> -rw-r--r-- 1 hpierce hpierce 77 Mar 26 20:09 dog2
> 
> -rw-r--r-- 1 hpierce hpierce 77 Mar 26 20:09 dog3
> 
> -rw-r--r-- 1 hpierce hpierce  0 Mar 26 20:07 dog4
> 
> -rwxr-xr-x 1 hpierce hpierce 80 Mar 26 20:02 test
> 
> 
> 
> dog1, dog2, and dog3 have content.  dog4 is empty.
> 
> 
> 
> test is a simple script:
> 
> 
> 
> testing]$ cat test
> 
> #!/bin/bash
> 
> FILE=$1
> 
> echo $FILE
> 
> if [ ! -e $FILE ]
> 
> then
> 
>       echo "Usage: $0 <file>"
> 
>       exit 1
> 
> else
> 
>         echo $FILE exists
> 
> fi
> 
> 
> 
> Here's a regular run:
> 
> 
> 
> testing]$ for f in *; do ./test $f; done
> 
> dog1
> 
> dog1 exists
> 
> dog2
> 
> dog2 exists
> 
> dog3
> 
> dog3 exists
> 
> dog4
> 
> dog4 exists
> 
> test
> 
> test exists
> 
> 
> 
> Now I add a ls:
> 
> 
> 
> testing]$ for f in `ls dog*`; do ./test $f; done
> 
> dog1
> 
> Usage: ./test <file>
> 
> dog2
> 
> Usage: ./test <file>
> 
> dog3
> 
> Usage: ./test <file>
> 
> dog4
> 
> Usage: ./test <file>
> 
> 
> 
> So I moved it to an earlier version of bash
> 
> 
> 
> testing]$ bash --version
> 
> bash --version
> 
> GNU bash, version 3.00.15(1)-release (x86_64-redhat-linux-gnu)
> 
> 
> 
> testing]$ for f in `ls dog*`; do ./test $f; done
> 
> dog1
> 
> dog1 exists
> 
> dog2
> 
> dog2 exists
> 
> dog3
> 
> dog3 exists
> 
> dog4
> 
> dog4 exists

These restrictions that you talk about are important, but you don't seem to 
hear me when I say "My filenames never have spaces".  My directories never have 
spaces.  I am meticulous about my filesystems.  On one hand I realize you think 
you're being helpful to someone who has just started bash programming, but 
since I've been at this for > 12 years it has gotten a little condescending.  I 
solved the issue myself about 10 minutes later.  I thought it was interesting 
that with the problematic dir_colors file I was unable to use 'ls' but 'find' 
worked.  I work as a system administrator so I understand that people are at 
different levels in terms of technical knowledge.  It's all about reading 
comprehension.  If you had read "My filenames never have spaces" part and 
actually paid attention you would see that the problem had nothing to do with 
spaces.  But no.  Everyone wants to show how smart they are that spaces can 
mess things up.  Wow!  Thanks!  My guess is that you'll breeze right past this 
post and continue to give me helpful hints.  Thanks guys!

--Snarky System Administrator (Is there any other kind?)