strange bash #?

[Kurt Wall]

In a 0.5K blaze of typing glory, M.W. Chang wrote:
> #!/bin/bash
> tar
> echo $?
> if [ $? == 0 ]
> then
>    echo "zero"
> else
>    echo "not zero"
> fi
> 
> It didn't work. $? was 2, but it still printed "zero". Why?
> is $? a number or a string?

Because "$?" holds the return value of the last executed command,
which is, in this case, the "echo $?" command. Remove the "echo $?"
line and see what happens.

Kurt
-- 
	"And what will you do when you grow up to be as big as me?"
asked the father of his little son.
	"Diet."