Unix determine if a file is empty

Question

I am attempting to make a script that will check to see if there is any tyext within a file. I have developed the following script. I have made it check to see if there is exactly 2 arguments, see if the file exists, but I am having trouble checking the file for text within it. The code is as follows:

#!/bin/ksh
#check if number of arguments are 2

if [ $# -ne 2 ]; then
    echo "Does not equal two arguments"
    echo "Usage $0 inputfile outputfile"
    exit 1
fi

#check if input file exists

if [ ! -f $1 ]; then
    echo "$1 not found!"
    exit 1
fi

#Check if input file is null
#This next block of code is where the issue is
if [ grep -q $1 -eq 0 ]; then
    echo "$1 must have text within the file"
    exit 1
fi

Any help would be appreciated

Thomas Dickey · Accepted Answer · 2015-03-03 02:39:36Z

1

test's "-s" option checks if the file is empty -- see manual. So your last chunk would become

#Check if input file is null
#This next block of code is where the issue is
if [ ! -s $1 ]; then
    echo "$1 must have text within the file"
    exit 1
fi

answered Mar 3, 2015 at 2:39

Thomas Dickey

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mrflash818 · Accepted Answer · 2015-03-03 02:30:49Z

0

Try using stat

stat -c %s filename

answered Mar 3, 2015 at 2:30

mrflash818

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