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--- bash:directories:check_if_a_directory_exists [2021/01/11 11:06] – created peter
+++ bash:directories:check_if_a_directory_exists [2021/01/26 12:06] (current) – peter
@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 fi
 </code>
+<WRAP important>
+**WARNING:**  A symbolic link to a directory will also not work, for example:
+<code bash>
+ln -s "$ACTUAL_DIR" "$SYMLINK"
+if [ -d "$SYMLINK" ]; then
+  rmdir "$SYMLINK"
+fi
+</code>
+Will produce the error message:
+<code bash>
+rmdir: failed to remove `symlink': Not a directory
+</code>
+So symbolic links may have to be treated differently, if subsequent commands expect directories:
+<code bash>
+if [ -d "$LINK_OR_DIR" ]; then
+  if [ -L "$LINK_OR_DIR" ]; then
+    # It is a symlink!
+    # Symbolic link specific commands go here.
+    rm "$LINK_OR_DIR"
+  else
+    # It's a directory!
+    # Directory command goes here.
+    rmdir "$LINK_OR_DIR"
+  fi
+fi
+</code>
+</WRAP>
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