Comparing numbers in Bash

Question

I\'m starting to learn about writing scripts for the bash terminal, but I can\'t work out how to get the comparisons to work properly. The script I\'m using is:

Answer 1

This code can also compare floats. It is using awk (it is not pure bash), however this shouldn't be a problem, as awk is a standard POSIX command that is most likely shipped by default with your operating system.

$ awk 'BEGIN {return_code=(-1.2345 == -1.2345) ? 0 : 1; exit} END {exit return_code}'
$ echo $?
0
$ awk 'BEGIN {return_code=(-1.2345 >= -1.2345) ? 0 : 1; exit} END {exit return_code}'
$ echo $?
0
$ awk 'BEGIN {return_code=(-1.2345 < -1.2345) ? 0 : 1; exit} END {exit return_code}'
$ echo $?
1
$ awk 'BEGIN {return_code=(-1.2345 < 2) ? 0 : 1; exit} END {exit return_code}'
$ echo $?
0
$ awk 'BEGIN {return_code=(-1.2345 > 2) ? 0 : 1; exit} END {exit return_code}'
$ echo $?

To make it shorter for use, use this function:

compare_nums()
{
   # Function to compare two numbers (float or integers) by using awk.
   # The function will not print anything, but it will return 0 (if the comparison is true) or 1
   # (if the comparison is false) exit codes, so it can be used directly in shell one liners.
   #############
   ### Usage ###
   ### Note that you have to enclose the comparison operator in quotes.
   #############
   # compare_nums 1 ">" 2 # returns false
   # compare_nums 1.23 "<=" 2 # returns true
   # compare_nums -1.238 "<=" -2 # returns false
   #############################################
   num1=$1
   op=$2
   num2=$3
   E_BADARGS=65

   # Make sure that the provided numbers are actually numbers.
   if ! [[ $num1 =~ ^-?[0-9]+([.][0-9]+)?$ ]]; then >&2 echo "$num1 is not a number"; return $E_BADARGS; fi
   if ! [[ $num2 =~ ^-?[0-9]+([.][0-9]+)?$ ]]; then >&2 echo "$num2 is not a number"; return $E_BADARGS; fi

   # If you want to print the exit code as well (instead of only returning it), uncomment
   # the awk line below and comment the uncommented one which is two lines below.
   #awk 'BEGIN {print return_code=('$num1' '$op' '$num2') ? 0 : 1; exit} END {exit return_code}'
   awk 'BEGIN {return_code=('$num1' '$op' '$num2') ? 0 : 1; exit} END {exit return_code}'
   return_code=$?
   return $return_code
}

$ compare_nums -1.2345 ">=" -1.2345 && echo true || echo false
true
$ compare_nums -1.2345 ">=" 23 && echo true || echo false
false