Re: configure.ac

[John Burger]

Bob Proulx scripted:

>   var=-abcdefg
>   echo test "$var" = yes
>   test -abcdefg = yes
>
> What does 'test' do with that argument?  In this case it can tell that
> it is a string and everything will parse.  But test can get confused
> by that leading '-' and will think it is an option in some cases.
> Therefore to stop test from seeing the leading '-' a long standing
> rule has been to put another character before it.
>
>   var=-abcdefg
>   echo test "x$var" = xyes
>   test x-abcdefg = xyes

Has anyone seen the following?

  test yes = "$var"

Obviously, this isn't possible if both of the comparands (!) are 
variables, but that's an unusual case, in my (limited) experience.  Or 
is the reversal of the usual idiom just too jarring?  Of course, this 
is recommended by some for C code, to catch = vs == typos.

- John Burger
  MITRE