CASE(1)

NAME
case - conditionally execute a block of commands

SYNOPSIS
switch VALUE
   [case [GLOB ...]
       [COMMAND ...]]
end

DESCRIPTION

switch executes one of several blocks of commands, depending on whether a specified value matches one of several values. case is used together with the switch statement in order to determine which block should be executed.

Each case command is given one or more parameters. The first case command with a parameter that matches the string specified in the switch command will be evaluated. case parameters may contain wildcards. These need to be escaped or quoted in order to avoid regular wildcard expansion using filenames.

Note that fish does not fall through on case statements. Only the first matching case is executed.

Note that command substitutions in a case statement will be evaluated even if its body is not taken. All substitutions, including command substitutions, must be performed before the value can be compared against the parameter.

EXAMPLE

Say $animal contains the name of an animal. Then this code would classify it:

            switch $animal
                case cat
                    echo evil
                case wolf dog human moose dolphin whale
                    echo mammal
                case duck goose albatross
                    echo bird
                case shark trout stingray
                    echo fish
                # Note that the next case has a wildcard which is quoted
                case '*'
                    echo I have no idea what a $animal is
            end

If the above code was run with $animal set to whale, the output would be mammal.

If $animal was set to "banana", it would print "I have no idea what a banana is".

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fish-shell developers