Using the && operator in an if statement

bash if-statement syntax operators
Ziyaddin Sadigov picture Ziyaddin Sadigov · May 6, 2013 · Viewed 205.1k times · Source

I have three variables:

VAR1="file1"
VAR2="file2"
VAR3="file3"

How to use and (&&) operator in if statement like this:

if [ -f $VAR1 && -f $VAR2 && -f $VAR3 ]
   then ...
fi

When I write this code it gives error. What is the right way?

Answer

fedorqui 'SO stop harming' picture fedorqui 'SO stop harming' · May 6, 2013

So to make your expression work, changing && for -a will do the trick.

It is correct like this:

 if [ -f $VAR1 ] && [ -f $VAR2 ] && [ -f $VAR3 ]
 then  ....

or like

 if [[ -f $VAR1 && -f $VAR2 && -f $VAR3 ]]
 then  ....

or even

 if [ -f $VAR1 -a -f $VAR2 -a -f $VAR3 ]
 then  ....

You can find further details in this question bash : Multiple Unary operators in if statement and some references given there like What is the difference between test, [ and [[ ?.

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