Learning Linux Shell Scripting - Second Edition

Exiting from a loop with a break

In the previous section, we discussed about how continue can be used to exit from the current iteration of a loop. The break command is another way to introduce a new condition within a loop. Unlike continue, however, it causes the loop to be terminated altogether if the condition is met.

In the for_12.sh script, we check the directory's content. If the directory is found, then we are exiting the loop and displaying the message that the first directory is found:

#!/bin/bash 
rm -rf sample* 
echo > sample_1 
echo > sample_2 
mkdir sample_3 
echo > sample_4 
 
for file in sample* 
do 
  if [ -d "$file" ]; then 
    break; 
  fi 
done 
 
echo The first directory is $file 
rm -rf sample* 
exit 0 

Let's test the program, as follows: