[NTLUG:Discuss] Using test with multiple conditions

[Eric Schnoebelen]

Leroy Tennison writes:
- I haven't been able to determine where the problem is, I'm either 
- getting bash errors or a uniform result when it should be changing.  
- What I'm trying to get is a zero return code when either test returns a 
- zero return code or a non-zero return code otherwise.  The test in this 
- case is "a2query -qc <configuration name>'.  This apache program, with 
- -qc, is supposed to return zero if the configuration name is found and 1 
- otherwise.  What I've tried so far is:
- 
- test $(a2query -qc one) -o $(a2query -qc serve-cgi-bin);echo $?    $? is 
- zero (correct since serve-cgi-bin is found)

[...]

I think you're trying too hard.  Since a2query is a program, you
don't need to use test to evaluate its return value.  Shell
evaluation should be sufficent.

eg:
	a2query -qc one || a2query -qc serve-cgi-bin

If you need to wrap it in a conditional:
	if ( a2query -qc one || a2query -qc serve-cgi-bin); then
		:
	fi

test(1) is more useful for testing for file existance, or if a
variable is set, or the value of a variable (or program
results.)

I hope this helps,
	Eric

-- 
Eric Schnoebelen		eric at cirr.com		 http://www.cirr.com
  ... software is largely a service industry operating under the persistent 
but unfounded delusion that it is a manufacturing industry. -- Eric S. Raymond