Re: Test for file(s): glob or -e?

I have to agree with merlyn (not that it's a struggle :) that you should specify that your input is either a filename or a glob pattern, but maybe this will help:

# get the names if any
@files = grep -e, glob $pattern;
[download]

# do any exist?
if (grep -e, glob $pattern) {...
[download]

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Re: Re: Test for file(s): glob or -e? by Anonymous Monk on Feb 18, 2004 at 18:44 UTC
boggles Why grep -e? Does glob make up stuff that doesn't exist in the directory now?	[reply]
Re: Re: Re: Test for file(s): glob or -e? by ysth (Canon) on Feb 18, 2004 at 18:57 UTC
By design, glob only checks for actual existence of files if you include * or ? in that part of the path: `$ echo hi there>foo $ ls foo $ perl -wle'print for glob "{a,b,c,}fo{,}"' afo bfo cfo foo fo` [download] This pattern expands to {afo,bfo,cfo,fo,afo,bfo,cfo,fo}. Only the subpatterns containing a ? or will be restricted to what exists. In the simple case, glob "joe.txt" will always return joe.txt.	[reply] [d/l]