BASIC ELEMENTS

{}

The value of this expression is the file name of the file currently being considered. The value is affected the the -Resolve option.

{-}

The value of this expression is the file name of the file currently being considered, relative to the base of the directory stack.

{+}

The value of this expression is the absolute path of the file currently being considered.

number

Numbers may be specified directly, for use with other tests and operators. In the style of C, they may be hexadecimal with a “0x” prefix, octal with a “0” prefix, or decimal otherwise.

string

Strings may be specified directly, for use with other tests and operators. If the string contains shell meta‐characters, you may need to quote it.

-FAlse

The value of this expression is always false.

-NOW

The value of this expression is the current time, at the start of execution.

-TRue

The value of this expression is always true.

OPERATORS

( expr )

Force precedence.

+ expr

Unary plus. Is is an error if the argument cannot be coerced to a number.

- expr

Unary minus. Result is the numeric negative of the argument. Is is an error if the argument cannot be coerced to a number.

! expr

Logical negation of the sense of the expression. Is is an error if the argument cannot be coerced to a boolean.
Synonym: -Not

~ expr

Bitwise not of the argument. Is is an error if the argument cannot be coerced to an integer.

expr1 * expr2

This operation multiplies the two values. Is is an error if the arguments cannot be coerced to numbers.

expr1 / expr2

This operation divides the argument value by the second. Is is an error if the arguments cannot be coerced to numbers. Is is an error if the second argument is zero.

expr1 % expr2

This operation produces the remainder of the division of the first argument by the argument. Is is an error if the arguments cannot be coerced to numbers. Is is an error if the second argument is zero.

expr1 ~ expr2

Is is an error if the arguments cannot be coerced to strings. The first argument is the pattern, and the second is the string. Is is an error if the first argument is not a valid pattern. The result is true if the pattern matches, and false if it does not. This operation performs a shell file pattern comparison.

expr1 + expr2

This operation adds the two values. Is is an error if the values cannot be coerced to numbers.

expr1 - expr2

This operation subtracts the second values from the first. Is is an error if the values cannot be coerced to numbers.

expr1 ## expr2

This operation concatenates the arguments. Is is an error if the arguments cannot be coerced to strings. (Note: this is not the same as the : operator of the expr(1) command.)

expr1 << expr2

Shift the first argument left by the number of bits specified by the second argument. The left argument is treated as an unsigned number. Is is an error if the values cannot be coerced to numbers.

expr1 >> expr2

Shift the first argument right by the number of bits specified by the second argument. The left argument is treated as an unsigned number. Is is an error if the values cannot be coerced to numbers.

expr1 < expr2

Compare the values and produce true if the first value is less than the second value, false otherwise. If both values can be coerced to numbers, the comparison is numeric; if both values can be coerced to strings, the comparison is lexicographic; otherwise is it an error.

expr1 <= expr2

Compare the values and produce true if the first value is less than or equal to the second value, false otherwise. If both values can be coerced to numbers, the comparison is numeric; if both values can be coerced to strings, the comparison is lexicographic; otherwise is it an error.

expr1 > expr2

Compare the values and produce true if the first value is greater than the second value, false otherwise. If both values can be coerced to numbers, the comparison is numeric; if both values can be coerced to strings, the comparison is lexicographic; otherwise is it an error.

expr1 >= expr2

Compare the values and produce true if the first value is greater than or equal to the second value, false otherwise. If both values can be coerced to numbers, the comparison is numeric; if both values can be coerced to strings, the comparison is lexicographic; otherwise is it an error.

expr1 == expr2

Compare the values and produce true if the first value is equal to the second value, false otherwise. If both values can be coerced to numbers, the comparison is numeric; if both values can be coerced to strings, the comparison is lexicographic; otherwise is it an error.

expr1 != expr2

Compare the values and produce true if the first value is not equal to the second value, false otherwise. If both values can be coerced to numbers, the comparison is numeric; if both values can be coerced to strings, the comparison is lexicographic; otherwise is it an error.

expr1 & expr2

This operation produces the bitwise‐and of the two values. Is is an error if the values cannot be coerced to numbers.

expr1 | expr2

This operation produces the bitwise‐or of the two values. Is is an error if the values cannot be coerced to numbers.

expr1 && expr2

Result is true if both expressions are true. Short circuit evaluation is used, and so expr2 is not evaluated if expr1 is false. Is is an error if the arguments cannot be coerced to booleans.
Synonym: -And

expr1 expr2

Logical and (implied). Result is true if both expressions are true. Short circuit evaluation is used, and so expr2 is not evaluated if expr1 is false. Please note that implicit operator plays merry hell with operator precedence, because there is no operator. If you are getting odd results, use explicit operators.

expr1 || expr2

Result is true if either expression is true. Short circuit evaluation is used, and so expr2 is not evaluated if expr1 is true. Is is an error if the arguments cannot be coerced to booleans.
Synonym: -Or

expr1 ? expr2 : expr3

The value of this expression is expr2 if expr1 is true, and expr3 otherwise. The expr1 is always evaluated, but only one of expr2 or expr3 will be evaluated. It is an error if the value of expr1 cannot be coerced to boolean.

expr1 , expr2

Both expr1 and expr2 are always evaluated. The value of expr1 is discarded; the value of the expression is the value of expr2.

Operators have precedence as described by the following table, highest to lowest:

FUNCTIONS

atime

This function may be used to determine the last‐accessed‐time of a file. It takes one argument.

basename

This function returns the basename of the string argument passed to it. It takes one argument.

ctime

This function may be used to determine the last‐change‐time of an inode. It takes one argument.

delete

This function may be used to delete a file. It takes one argument. Always returns true. See also the -delete action, below.

execute

This function may be used to execute a command. The arguments are assembled into the command to be executed. Use the special “{}” argument to insert the name of the current file. The function returns true of the command's exist status is zero. All following arguments to find are taken to be arguments to the command until an argument consisting of “;” is encountered. The command is executed in the starting directory. See also the -execute action, below.

gid

This function may be used to determine the gid of a file. It takes one argument.

inode

This function may be used to determine the inode number of a file. It takes one argument.

mode

This function may be used to determine the access mode (permissions) of a file. It takes one argument.

mtime

This function may be used to determine the last‐modified‐time of a file. It takes one argument.

print

This function may be used to print a value. It takes one argument. Always returns true. See also the -print action, below.

size

This function may be used to determine the size in bytes of a file. It takes one argument.

type

This function may be used to determine the type of a file. It takes one argument. It returns a string: "block_special", "character_special", "directory", "file", "named_pipe", "socket" or "symbolic_link".

uid

This function may be used to determine the uid of a file. It takes one argument.

TESTS

-Access_Minutes [ relative‐operator ] number

True if the current file was accessed exactly number minutes ago, false otherwise. If a relative operator is given (<, <=, ==, !=, > or >=) a relative comparison will be made, rather than the implicit equality test. This is not identical to the similar find(1) test. This is shorthand for the “( now - atime ( {+} )) / 60 relative‐operator number” expression.

-Access_Time [ relative‐operator ] number

True if the current file was accessed exactly number days ago, false otherwise. If a relative operator is given (<, <=, ==, !=, > or >=) a relative comparison will be made, rather than the implicit equality test. This is not identical to the similar find(1) test. This is shorthand for the “( now - atime ( {+} )) / 86400 relative‐operator number” expression.

-Change_Minutes number

True if the current file's inode was changed exactly number minutes ago, false otherwise. If a relative operator is given (<, <=, ==, !=, > or >=) a relative comparison will be made, rather than the implicit equality test. This is not identical to the similar find(1) test. This is shorthand for the “( now - ctime ( {+} )) / 60 relative‐operator number” expression.

-Change_Time number

True if the current file's inode was changed exactly number days ago, false otherwise. If a relative operator is given (<, <=, ==, !=, > or >=) a relative comparison will be made, rather than the implicit equality test. This is not identical to the similar find(1) test. This is shorthand for the “( now - ctime ( {+} )) / 86400 relative‐operator number” expression.

-Modify_Minutes number

True if the current file was modified exactly number minutes ago, false otherwise. If a relative operator is given (<, <=, ==, !=, > or >=) a relative comparison will be made, rather than the implicit equality test. This is not identical to the similar find(1) test. This is shorthand for the “( now - mtime ( {+} )) / 60 relative‐operator number” expression.

-Modify_Time number

True if the current file was modified exactly number days ago, false otherwise. If a relative operator is given (<, <=, ==, !=, > or >=) a relative comparison will be made, rather than the implicit equality test. This is not identical to the similar find(1) test. This is shorthand for the “( now - mtime ( {+} )) / 86400 relative‐operator number” expression.

-Newer filename

True if the current file was modified after the given file. This is shorthand for the “mtime ( {+} ) > mtime ( filename )” expression.

-Name pattern

Base of file name (the path with the leading directories removed) matches shell pattern pattern. This is short‐hand for the “pattern ~ basename ( {} )” expression.

-PAth pattern

File name matches shell pattern pattern. Note that the file name if affected by the -resolve option. This is short‐hand for the “pattern ~ {}” expression.

-Type string

The file type matches the type given. This is shorthand for the “type ( {} ) == string” expression. Type names are matched similar to options:

Block	The file is a block special file.
Character	The file is a character special file.
Directory	The file is a directory.
File	The file is a normal file.
Link	The file is a symbolic link.
Pipe	The file is FIFO (a named pipe).
Socket	The file is a UNIX domain socket.

ACTIONS

-print

This will print the full file name on the standard output, followed by a newline. The -Resolve option will affect what is printed. This is short‐hand for the “print ( {} )” expression.

-delete

This will delete the file, if it is in the development directory tree. This is short‐hand for the “delete ( {} )” expression.

-execute string... ;

The may be used to execute a command. This is short‐hand for the “execute ( string : ... )” expression.