If condition as one liner

Question

How do I get an one liner for this condition?

if [ -f ~/.ssh/config ]
then
    echo -e "\xE2\x9C\x94 Config file existing"
fi

My attempt:

if [ ! -f ~/.ssh/config ] || echo -e "\xE2\x9C\x94 Config file existing"

so this is correct? `if [ ! -f ~/.ssh/config ] || echo -e "\xE2\x9C\x94 Config file existing"` I have to check for the opposite, right? — user3142695, Feb 11 '17 at 11:25
You don't want the `if` keyword. Normally you use `&&` to connect the 2 commands and do not reverse the condition but using || with a reversed condition is valid. so `[ -f ~/.ssh/config ] && echo ...` — icarus, Feb 11 '17 at 11:32
Don't forget that the first word after `if` is a *command* (`if command; then A; else B; fi`) -- that means that `[` and `[[` are *commands*. — glenn jackman, Feb 11 '17 at 12:53
Please don't edit a question to *include* its answer — especially not a wrong answer. If your "Update" is not meant to be a proposed answer, explain what it is. — G-Man Says 'Reinstate Monica', Feb 11 '17 at 22:17

score 8 · Answer 1 · edited Feb 11 '17 at 15:04

8

Try this,

if [ -f ~/.ssh/config ]; then echo -e "\xE2\x9C\x94 Config file existing"; fi

or

[ ! -f ~/.ssh/config ] || echo -e "\xE2\x9C\x94 Config file existing"

or

[ -f ~/.ssh/config ] && echo -e "\xE2\x9C\x94 Config file existing"

and the else has to come last

[ -f ~/.ssh/config ] && echo -e "\xE2\x9C\x94 Config file existing" || echo -e "\xE2\x9E\x97 No config file"

edited Feb 11 '17 at 15:04

hschou

answered Feb 11 '17 at 11:27

prado

score 4 · Accepted Answer · answered Feb 11 '17 at 12:08

4

The most readable way (IMHO) is to use the test utility explicitly:

test -f ~/.ssh/config && echo -e "\xE2\x9C\x94 Config file existing"

answered Feb 11 '17 at 12:08

Kusalananda

Yep, or one could just use square brackets. Same thing. – Sergiy Kolodyazhnyy Feb 11 '17 at 14:16

2 Answers2