4

Here is the script

bash --version | head -n1
if [ "$1" == "now"  ]
then
    echo if now
    execut job
else
    echo else "_"$1"_"  # make sure we are not picking any spaces
    if [ condition  ]
    then
    execut something else
    fi
fi

./script now
if now

works as expected if run from interactive shell. However if invoked from cron as, the if goes to the else block instead

* * * * *   root    /home/user/./script now >> /tmp/log
cat /tmp/log
GNU bash, version 4.3.11(1)-release (x86_64-pc-linux-gnu)
else _now_

Same with "-eq" as well.

Am I missing something dead simple because I did not have breakfast yet ?

running Ubunt 14.04LTS.

Nabil Sham
  • 267

2 Answers2

6

because the syntax is only with one equal: [ $a = $b ]

 if [ ! $a = $b ]; then     #with space in condition and need instruction between then and fi, else doesn't works
 ...Script to execute...
 elif [ ! $a = $c ]; then
 ...Script to execute...
 else
 ...Script to execute...
 fi

conditional sh list 

 [ $a = $b ] && return 1 || return 0        conditionnal alternative format
 if [ $a = $b -o $b = $c ]          -o mean OR
 if [ $a = $b -a $b = $c ]          -a mean AND
 if [ $a = $b -o $b = $c ] || [ $a = $b -a $a = $c ] multiple conditionnal or
 if [ $a = $b -o $b = $c ] && [ $a = $b -a $a = $c ] multiple conditionnal and
 if [ -z $a ]                       is empty or null
 if [ ! -z $a ]                     not equal to ""
 if [ -n $a ]                       is not empty or null
 if [ $a -eq $b ]                   equal (numeric)
 if [ $a -ne $b ]                   not equal (numeric)
 if [ $a -gt $b ]                   greater than (numeric)
 if [ $a -ge $b ]                   greater or equal than (numeric)
 if [ $a -lt $b ]                   lower than (numeric)
 if [ $a -le $b ]                   lower or equal than (numeric)
 if [ -d $a ]                       is a directory  
 if [ -e $a ]                       file exist  
 if [ -f $a ]                       is a file
 if [ -g $a ]                       is group allowed for the file
 if [ -r $a ]                       is readable 
 if [ -s $a ]                       file is not 0kb
 if [ -u $a ]                       is user allowed for file
 if [ -w $a ]                       is writable
 if [ -x $a ]                       is executable

more with bash

 if [[ "$a" =~ "$b" ]]              match (reg exp)
 if [[ $a == *$b* ]]                match (glob)
 if [ "${a/$b}" = $a ]              match (string)
 if [ -z "${a##*$b*}" ]             match (string, work with dropbox !)
 if [ ${a/$b} = $a ]                match (string)
Froggiz
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0

Putting in @gordon-davisson 's comment as an answer since that's what resolved it for me:

Add the "shebang" line at the top of the shell script:

 #!/bin/bash

That will tell the OS that it's a bash script and needs to be interpreted that way. Then it will work with if [ "$a" == "$b" ] and the like.

Nikhil VJ
  • 211