Returning a boolean from a Bash function

Question

I want to write a bash function that check if a file has certain properties and returns true or false. Then I can use it in my scripts in the \"if\". But what should I retur

Answer 1

Use the true or false commands immediately before your return, then return with no parameters. The return will automatically use the value of your last command.

Providing arguments to return is inconsistent, type specific and prone to error if you are not using 1 or 0. And as previous comments have stated, using 1 or 0 here is not the right way to approach this function.

#!/bin/bash

function test_for_cat {
    if [ $1 = "cat" ];
    then
        true
        return
    else
        false
        return
    fi
}

for i in cat hat;
do
    echo "${i}:"
    if test_for_cat "${i}";
    then
        echo "- True"
    else
        echo "- False"
    fi
done

Output:

$ bash bash_return.sh

cat:
- True
hat:
- False