messaging.sh: line 29: [: missing `]'

I don't know if this is a bad thing, or what it means. My script still seems to work fine, but should I fix it?

#!/bin/sh
#This script will send text and maybe images to other computers via ssh and scp.
#Configuration files in same folder
source /Users/jacobgarby/Desktop/messaging/messages.cfg
TIME=$(date +"%H:%M:%S")
CONNECTED[0]="mainmini@192.168.1.65"
if [ -d messages.log ]; then :
else touch messages.log
fi
read MSG
if [ "$MSG" == "!help" ]; then echo ; echo "!clear Clear's your personal chat log." echo "!ban [usrname] Prevents a user from entering this chat IN DEV."
else echo "$TIME | $USER | $MSG" >> messages.log; echo >> messages.log; echo >> messages.log tail messages.log
fi
for CONNECTION in CONNECTED; do echo "It works"
done
if [ "alerttype" == "notification"]; then osascript -e 'display notification "You have recieved a message!" with title "Message"'
else osascript -e 'display dialog "You have recieved a message!" with title "Message"'
fi

10

3 Answers

messaging.sh: line 29: [: missing ']'

You are using the following:

if [ "alerttype" == "notification"]; then`

However, the above command is missing a space before ], it should be:

if [ "alerttype" == "notification" ]; then ^

---

The basic rules of conditions

When you start writing and using your own conditions, there are some rules you should know to prevent getting errors that are hard to trace. Here follow three important ones:

1. Always keep spaces between the brackets and the actual check/comparison. The following won’t work:

   if [$foo -ge 3]; then

   Bash will complain about a "missing ']'".

Source Conditions in bash scripting (if statements)

5

You're missing a single space.

#BEFORE
if [ "alerttype" == "notification"]; then
#AFTER
if [ "alerttype" == "notification" ]; then
# ^

Another example:

$ if [ "a" == "a"]; then echo "yes"; else echo "no"; fi
-bash: [: missing `]'
no
$ if [ "a" == "a" ]; then echo "yes"; else echo "no"; fi
yes

1

Missing the space before the ] Also another format option is:

$ [ "a" == "a" ] && echo "yes" || echo "no"

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