for loop with variable as input list

Question

I would like to put below check in a for loop but do not know how to put the variables as input list, just like $A,$B,$C

A="file name1.txt"
B="file name2.txt"
C="file name3.txt"

if [[ ! -f "$A" ]]; then
    echo "file $A not exist"
fi

if [[ ! -f "$B" ]]; then
    echo "file $B not exist"
fi

if [[ ! -f "$C" ]]; then
    echo "file $C not exist"
fi

Try for f in file1 file2 file3; do if [[ ! -f $f ]]; then echo "file $f not exist"; fi; done — anubhava
– anubhava, Commented Sep 15, 2022 at 15:38
I'd start by using an array instead of a bunch of different variables. — Shawn
– Shawn, Commented Sep 15, 2022 at 15:45
You definitely can write for file in "$A" "$B" "$C"; do if [[ ! -f "$file" ]]; then ..., but why would you make that extra work for yourself instead of using an array? — Charles Duffy
– Charles Duffy, Commented Sep 15, 2022 at 15:50
Good suggestion, I missed the quote so it not work for me! let me try your code! — lucky1928
– lucky1928, Commented Sep 15, 2022 at 16:08

James Risner · Accepted Answer · 2022-09-17 19:41:21Z

2

#!/bin/bash
A="file name1.txt"
B="file name2.txt"
C="file name3.txt"
for file in "$A" "$B" "$C"; do
    if [[ ! -f "$file" ]]; then
        echo "file $file not exist"
    fi
done

The use of [[ is not POSIX and supported only on ksh, zsh, and bash. It does not require a fork() and is, in general, safer. You can substitute [ and ] respectively for a POSIX compliant script.

edited Sep 17, 2022 at 19:41

answered Sep 17, 2022 at 19:34

James Risner

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Luis Cardoso · Accepted Answer · 2022-09-18 04:52:15Z

2

you can use the following commands:

#!/bin/bash

FILES_TO_CHECK_ARRAY=( "file name1.txt" "file name2.txt" "file name3.txt"  )

for current_file in "${FILES_TO_CHECK_ARRAY[@]}"
do

  if [[ ! -f "${current_file}" ]]; then
    echo "file ${current_file} not exist"
  fi

done

answered Sep 18, 2022 at 4:52

Luis Cardoso

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