I'm learning bash and trying to create a script that moves files to a specified directory using 'if' statements. I've written a script that checks if arguments have been passed before moving them, but I'm running into an issue when I pass fewer than the expected number of arguments. For instance, the script runs without issues for arguments that are provided, but I get an error message stating 'mv: missing destination file operand' for any missing arguments. It seems like my 'if' checks aren't working correctly. I thought the logic was correct, but I keep encountering these errors. What am I missing?
3 Answers
The issue is that you need spaces around the `!=` operator. Instead of using `[[ $1!="" ]]`, you should write it as `[[ $1 != "" ]]`. Without the spaces, it gets interpreted incorrectly. You could also simplify the checks by using `[[ -n $1 ]]` to check if the argument is non-empty. Additionally, consider using a loop or passing all arguments to `mv` at once instead of separate commands for each one.
You're right about the logic, but just to point out—make sure you're also quoting the variables. Use `[[ "$1" != "" ]]` to avoid issues with file paths that might have spaces. This is a good practice in bash scripting!
Definitely add spaces around your operators! Also, if your goal is just to move any passed arguments, you might want to revise your approach to a single command like `mv -iv "$@" /your/destination/dir`. This way, you move all files at once, no fuss!
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