This module provides a simple framework for comparing software versions in a shellfire application. An example user is the curl module, which uses it to check for version-specific support. As a rule-of-thumb, version checking for features is fraught with pitfalls (not least because of out-of-tree patches, distribution-specific adjustments and the challenge of parsing versions from help strings). However, it is sometimes unavoidable.

The version comparison used in this module assumes numeric, hyphen or period delimited versions and should handle release candidates*. However, given the range of versioning strategies, it is not a generic cure all. Caveat emptor.

* Unfortunately, we can't use GNU coreutils' sort --version as it is not widely supported.

• Tag release_2015.0117.1750-1 is compatible with shellfire release release_2015.0117.1750-1.

For example let's say you want to use the option --netrc-file with curl. For that to work, you'll need at least curl version 7.21.5:-

curlVersion="$(curl --version)"

if version_isGreaterThanOrEqualTo "$curlVersion" '7.21.5'; then
	curl_supportsNetrc='yes'
else
	curl_supportsNetrc='no'
fi

To import this module, add a git submodule to your repository. From the root of your git repository in the terminal, type:-

mkdir -p lib/shellfire
cd lib/shellfire
git submodule add "https://github.com/shellfire-dev/version.git"
cd -
git submodule init --update

You may need to change the url https://github.com/shellfire-dev/version.git above if using a fork.

You will also need to add paths - include the module paths.d.

This namespace exposes functions to compare versions. All of the functions in this module are intended to be used with the shell's if statement or && operators, and return exit codes to that effect. Calling a function outside of such a statement in shellfire will cause your program to exit.

If calling from another shellfire module, add to your shell code the line

core_usesIn version

in the global scope (ie outside of any functions). A good convention is to put it above any function that depends on functions in this module. If using it directly in a program, put this line inside the _program() function:-

_program()
{
	core_usesIn version
	…
}

Compares as if leftVersion < rightVersion. Returns an exit code of 0 for true and 1 for false.

Compares as if leftVersion == rightVersion. Returns an exit code of 0 for true and 1 for false.

Compares as if leftVersion > rightVersion. Returns an exit code of 0 for true and 1 for false.

Compares as if leftVersion <= rightVersion. Returns an exit code of 0 for true and 1 for false.

Compares as if leftVersion >= rightVersion. Returns an exit code of 0 for true and 1 for false.

Compares as if leftVersion to rightVersion. Returns an exit code of 0 for less than, 1 for equal to and 2 for greater than. Note that this differs to languages such as Java, since exit codes can not be non-zero in POSIX shell code.