Script syntax checker or dummy execution

[Raynald Boucher]

Hello all,
Is there a way to execute a script without taking any action.

I mean by that, perform syntax checking, logic checking (ex check if file exists) etc but not execute any command that would change any file or process (ex kill) on the system.

I want to test a script a script destined for our production environment which has mirroring enabled (the script does mount, umount, lvsplit, lvmerge, fuser -k and some) but we don't have mirroring on our development environment. I'm leery of testing it on our production environment.

I worked (long ago) on a Xerox (and later Honeywell) system that had such a facility and am wondering if there isn't a switch or environment variable I could use to do this.

Thanks

[James R. Ferguson · Accepted solution]

Hi:

If by "script" you mean as shell script, then you can use the '-n' switch for basic syntax checking.

# sh -n myscript

Regards!

...JRF...

[melvyn burnard]

I check things using the -n siwtch for sh

sh -n scriptname

[Raynald Boucher]

Thanks,
and it works for Korn shell too.

Too bad it cannot perform non impact operations (ex tests and assignments) but then, how can it decide what has impact or not?
I guess it figures all executable files can produce actions that may have a lasting effect of the system.

Thanks again

RayB

[Raynald Boucher]

Thread closed