How to keep special meaning "*" inside a script

[Manel Ventura]

Hello,

I want to execute the following command inside a script but it doesn't work because the special character "*" lose its special meaning inside a script.

...
if test -f /tmp/ffin*
...

Has anyone any idea?

[James R. Ferguson]

Hi:

Escape the asterisk with a backslash:

# touch /tmp/my\*file
# rm /tmp/my\*file

...are examples of this.

# if test -f /tmp/ffin\*

...would test for the presence of a file named '/tmp/ffin*'

Regards!

...JRF...

[John Meissner]

you could do it like this

if [ -f "/tmp/ffin*"]
then.....

[Helen French]

Use backslash (\) in front of * like this:

..../tmp/ffin\* ...

[Manel Ventura]

Hello again,

I just want to keep the meaning of "*".

I want to know if there are files with the pattern "ffin". For example, ffin0202.txt or ffin0304.txt, ...

[Ravi_8]

Hi,

\* will keep metacharacter"*" anywhere

[Leif Halvarsson_2]

Hi,
Another way is to use single quotes.

# touch '/tmp/my*file'
# rm '/tmp/my*file'

[Dario_1]

Hi!!

Use the backslash (\) before the *.

Regards,

DR

[Francisco J. Soler]

Hi, Manel

I resolved a similar question in
http://forums.itrc.hp.com/cm/QuestionAnswer/1,,0xfc075ec05a7ad711abdc0090277a778c,00.html

try this:

if (ls /tmp/ffin* > /dev/null 2>&1) ; then echo Hi ; fi

Saludos
Frank.

[S.K. Chan]

I don't think it allows multiple file test. One other way is this ..
..
if (($(ls /tmp/ffin*|wc -l) > 1))
...

[James R. Ferguson · Accepted solution]

Hi (again):

Do you mean that you want to disable or enable globbing (file name generation). If so:

set -f

...disables shell file name generation.

set +f

...enables shell file name generation.

You can certainly choose the option you want inside a script to make it differ (or not) from your shell environent.

Regards!

...JRF...

[Leif Halvarsson_2]

Hi,
You perhaps want to do something if there is any files. Try the following:

for file in `ls /tmp/ffin* 2>/dev/null`
do
echo $file
done

[Mike Miller_8]

Hi,

Try the following :


if [ -f /tmp/ffin* ]; then
echo 'Found files'
fi

regards,

= Mike =

[Jdamian]

I agree with James R. Ferguson.

If filename generation is active, shell will replace your original line when it is going to be executed:

if test -f /tmp/ffin*

for

if test -f /tmp/ffin02.txt /tmp/ffin09 /tmp/ffin.old

if there are filenames that match the pattern /tmp/ffin*

If not shell will keep the original line:

if test -f /tmp/ffin*

and test will check if /tmp/ffin* file exist (test will not expand the metacharacter *).

Thus, I think that, if file name generation is on, your script would run fine.

[Manel Ventura]

Thanks a lot, guys!
I wanted to enable file name generation. The problem was that I had the next parameter at the begin of the script:

#! /bin/sh -f

Next time, I'll send you the full script for detailed analysis ;-)