Bash: How to escape minus in `if [ … ` (alias “test”)?

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-1
down vote

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I need to test this:



kill -0 $LAST_PID;


So I wrote



if [ kill -0 $LAST_PID ] ; then ...


But this results in an error - unknown operator after - or so.



how do I escape the options within if?










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  • 1




    Not sure why it's downvoted but since it is, it's probably a bad question and needs to be deleted.
    – Ondra Žižka
    Aug 15 at 23:44














up vote
-1
down vote

favorite












I need to test this:



kill -0 $LAST_PID;


So I wrote



if [ kill -0 $LAST_PID ] ; then ...


But this results in an error - unknown operator after - or so.



how do I escape the options within if?










share|improve this question



















  • 1




    Not sure why it's downvoted but since it is, it's probably a bad question and needs to be deleted.
    – Ondra Žižka
    Aug 15 at 23:44












up vote
-1
down vote

favorite









up vote
-1
down vote

favorite











I need to test this:



kill -0 $LAST_PID;


So I wrote



if [ kill -0 $LAST_PID ] ; then ...


But this results in an error - unknown operator after - or so.



how do I escape the options within if?










share|improve this question















I need to test this:



kill -0 $LAST_PID;


So I wrote



if [ kill -0 $LAST_PID ] ; then ...


But this results in an error - unknown operator after - or so.



how do I escape the options within if?







scripting kill test






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share|improve this question













share|improve this question




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edited Aug 15 at 16:27









Jeff Schaller

32.6k849110




32.6k849110










asked Aug 15 at 16:23









Ondra Žižka

467311




467311







  • 1




    Not sure why it's downvoted but since it is, it's probably a bad question and needs to be deleted.
    – Ondra Žižka
    Aug 15 at 23:44












  • 1




    Not sure why it's downvoted but since it is, it's probably a bad question and needs to be deleted.
    – Ondra Žižka
    Aug 15 at 23:44







1




1




Not sure why it's downvoted but since it is, it's probably a bad question and needs to be deleted.
– Ondra Žižka
Aug 15 at 23:44




Not sure why it's downvoted but since it is, it's probably a bad question and needs to be deleted.
– Ondra Žižka
Aug 15 at 23:44










1 Answer
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4
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It's not if that you're trying to escape it from, it's test / [. But you aren't testing the executing of kill that way; you're testing strings. You want:



if kill -0 "$LAST_PID"; then ...


that will test kill's return code.






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    1 Answer
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    up vote
    4
    down vote



    accepted










    It's not if that you're trying to escape it from, it's test / [. But you aren't testing the executing of kill that way; you're testing strings. You want:



    if kill -0 "$LAST_PID"; then ...


    that will test kill's return code.






    share|improve this answer
























      up vote
      4
      down vote



      accepted










      It's not if that you're trying to escape it from, it's test / [. But you aren't testing the executing of kill that way; you're testing strings. You want:



      if kill -0 "$LAST_PID"; then ...


      that will test kill's return code.






      share|improve this answer






















        up vote
        4
        down vote



        accepted







        up vote
        4
        down vote



        accepted






        It's not if that you're trying to escape it from, it's test / [. But you aren't testing the executing of kill that way; you're testing strings. You want:



        if kill -0 "$LAST_PID"; then ...


        that will test kill's return code.






        share|improve this answer












        It's not if that you're trying to escape it from, it's test / [. But you aren't testing the executing of kill that way; you're testing strings. You want:



        if kill -0 "$LAST_PID"; then ...


        that will test kill's return code.







        share|improve this answer












        share|improve this answer



        share|improve this answer










        answered Aug 15 at 16:27









        Jeff Schaller

        32.6k849110




        32.6k849110



























             

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