Russell Bevers wrote:
>
> I have been unable to get the '[' command to work in shell scripts.  I've
> checked the docs and supposedly '[' is a command in the MPE/ix POSIX shell
> (e.g. if [ -f doiexist.c ]
> then
>  .
>  .
> fi )

I write this construct as:

if [ -f doiexist.c ]; then
.
.
fi

>
> but all my scripts that utilize it return
>
> ./scriptname linenum: [: not found
>
> I thought this was a shell internal command?  But the docs also say there
> is a man page for [.  I have yet to find it . . .
>
> Can anyone enlighten me here?

[] is shorthand for the test command.  Try "man test".

- Mark B.