[SOLVED] Bash script does not recognise -n or -z

[RetiredInMaine]

I am running Ubuntu 7.10 and have been experimenting with bash scripting.

I am trying to evaluate an input parameter to see if it exists. The documentation says [-n string] is true if the string is greater than zero and [-z string] is true if it is null. I take this to mean that -n string its true if the string exists and -z is true if it does not.

I have tried writing some test code but when I execute the script it says that n (or z) is not found.

Example:

if[-z $1 ]
then
echo "in if portion"
else
echo "in else portion"
fi

when I exec ,/test I get

./test: 12: if[-z: not found
./test: 13: Syntax error: "then" unexpected

I have tried this with both -n and -z, also tried using capital n and z, with and without quoting $1 and with and without using ./test junk

note that echo $1 works as expected.

So, if this a bug in 7.10 or am I missing something?

Thanks in advance for any help

[slavik]

if [ -z "" ]; then echo "hello"; fi

there is a space between the [ and the - :)

[RetiredInMaine]

Thank you, my problem turned out to be no space between the if and the [