Score:2

Ubuntu

Why is test --help not working?

Adam

10/30/23, 1:56 PM

My Ubuntu is working good.

$ lsb_release -a
LSB Version:    core-11.1.0ubuntu4-noarch:printing-11.1.0ubuntu4-noarch:security-11.1.0ubuntu4-noarch
Distributor ID: Ubuntu
Description:    Ubuntu 22.04.1 LTS
Release:    22.04
Codename:   jammy

When I try built-in bash test command :

test --version
test --help

I see no output.

What works :

man test gives a man page ( GNU coreutils 8.32 )
info test|more
test -1 -gt -2 && echo yes

It shows

TEST(1)                          User Commands                         TEST(1)

NAME
       test - check file types and compare values

SYNOPSIS
       test EXPRESSION
       test
       [ EXPRESSION ]
       [ ]
       [ OPTION

DESCRIPTION
       Exit with the status determined by EXPRESSION.

       --help display this help and exit

       --version

that

test --version

should work.

Where is the problem?

124

1 + 1

bash

coreutils

22.04

steeldriver

10/30/23, 2:00 PM

If you want to see documentation for the bash builtin `test`, use `help test` or `man bash`

Score:4

Ubuntu

steeldriver

10/30/23, 2:18 PM

Your question asks about "built-in bash test command" but the man and info pages you are quoting are those for the external /usr/bin/test command provided by the coreutils package.

The --help and --version options only apply if you explicitly invoke the non-builtin test program, and only when you invoke it as [ not test, as documented in the info extract:

If EXPRESSION is omitted, ‘test’ returns false. If EXPRESSION is a single argument, ‘test’ returns false if the argument is null and true otherwise. The argument can be any string, including strings like ‘-d’, ‘-1’, ‘--’, ‘--help’, and ‘--version’ that most other programs would treat as options. To get help and version information, invoke the commands ‘[ --help’ and ‘[ --version’, without the usual closing brackets.

Ex.

$ /usr/bin/[ --version
[ (GNU coreutils) 8.32
Copyright (C) 2020 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later <https://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>.
This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it.
There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.

Written by Kevin Braunsdorf and Matthew Bradburn.

+ 5

Adam

10/30/23, 3:11 PM

which test gives /usr/bin/test

steeldriver

10/30/23, 3:54 PM

@Adam the `which` command ignores shell builtins - in `bash`, use `type test` (or `type -a test` for an ordered list) instead. See for example [Why not use "which"? What to use then?](https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/85249/why-not-use-which-what-to-use-then)

Adam

10/30/23, 4:59 PM

How can explicitly invoke the builtin test program?

steeldriver

10/30/23, 5:11 PM

@Adam if you just type `test` in the bash shell, you will get the builtin version (provided you haven't overridden `test` with an alias or shell function of your own). The `COMMAND EXECUTION` section of `man bash` explains more fully.

terdon

10/30/23, 7:45 PM

@Adam also, the builtin tool has no `--help` option. To see the help/manual of a builtin, you run `help` and the builtin's name. In your case, you want `help test`.

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EN: Why is test --help not working?

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