compare two env variables

[ste2703]

Hi,

I have a certain number, let's say $n, of input files *.inp for a software i use.
For each of them I'll get an output file, *.out. These output files are, all together, an input for a second software I use.
For this reasons, I collect all the output files in a folder, let's say pop_folder.
Before I run the second software I have to make sure that the first one runs successfully and all .out files joined the pop_folder.

i'm trying something like that:

cd pop_folder

while something=true;
do
sleep 10
m=$(ls -l *.out | wc -l)
echo $m
echo $n

if test ["$n"="$m"]
then
echo "entering if...."
make job
something=false
fi
done

in my display I get:

0
3
entering if..

it seems that my if condition is true despite the actual values of $n and $m.
What's wrong??

thanks in advance for any suggestion.

[nmset]

something=true

This is an assignment and will always be true =>

while "$something"="true"

#and later on
something="false"

if test ["$n"="$m"]

You are making 2 tests =>

#Either
if [ "$n" = "$m" ]
#or
if test "$n" = "$m"
#note the white spaces

[ste2703]

it works! Thanks a lot!

by the way.. why does the blank space make the difference?

[nmset]

The '[' is a command, /usr/bin/[ and works as /usr/bin/test
Everything that follow are arguments, which must therefore be separated by white spaces. The last argument must be ']'.