Bash Script : How to pass a wildcard before my filename in "if" exist file?

Question

I wish to be able to check if file exist.

if [ -f "/var/run/screen/user/*.$InstanceName" ]; then
        echo -e "screen instance exist"
fi

but the wilcard / joker don't work

How I can pass it ?

Answer 1

Your wildcard doesn't work because it's quoted. Unquoting it however might break the [ command as it only expects one filename argument, and if two or more files wore globbed it would break.

In bash you can use compgen that will generate a list of files matching the globbing pattern, it will also set proper exit status if no globs are found, it is a hack? I don't know, but it could look like it:

if compgen -G "/var/run/screen/user/*/$InstanceName" > /dev/null; then
  printf "screen instance exist\n"
fi