--- /dev/null
+#!/bin/bash
+# Desc: Checks that a valid tar archive exists, creates one otherwise
+
+#===BEGIN Declare local script functions===
+yell() { echo "$0: $*" >&2; } #o Yell, Die, Try Three-Fingered Claw technique
+die() { yell "$*"; exit 111; } #o Ref/Attrib: https://stackoverflow.com/a/25515370
+try() { "$@" || die "cannot $*"; } #o
+checkMakeTar() {
+ # Desc: Checks that a valid tar archive exists, creates one otherwise
+ # Usage: checkMakeTar [ path ]
+ # Version: 1.0.2
+ # Input: arg1: path of tar archive
+ # Output: exit code 0 : tar readable
+ # exit code 1 : tar missing; created
+ # exit code 2 : tar not readable; moved; replaced
+ # Depends: bash 5, date 8, tar 1, try()
+ local pathTar returnFlag0 returnFlag1 returnFlag2
+ pathTar="$1";
+
+ # Check if file is a valid tar archive
+ if tar --list --file="$pathTar" 1>/dev/null 2>&1; then
+ ## T1: return success
+ returnFlag0="tar valid";
+ else
+ ## F1: Check if file exists
+ if [[ -f "$pathTar" ]]; then
+ ### T: Rename file
+ try mv "$pathTar" "$pathTar""--broken--""$(date +%Y%m%dT%H%M%S)" && \
+ returnFlag1="tar moved";
+ else
+ ### F: -
+ :
+ fi;
+ ## F2: Create tar archive, return 0
+ try tar --create --file="$pathTar" --files-from=/dev/null && \
+ returnFlag2="tar created";
+ fi;
+
+ # Determine function return code
+ if [[ "$returnFlag0" = "tar valid" ]]; then
+ return 0;
+ elif [[ "$returnFlag2" = "tar created" ]] && ! [[ "$returnFlag1" = "tar moved" ]]; then
+ return 1; # tar missing so created
+ elif [[ "$returnFlag2" = "tar created" ]] && [[ "$returnFlag1" = "tar moved" ]]; then
+ return 2; # tar not readable so moved; replaced
+ fi;
+} # checks if arg1 is tar; creates one otherwise
+#===END Declare local script functions===
+
+#====BEGIN sample code====
+#myFile="/tmp/$(date +%s)..tar"
+myFile="/tmp/$(date +%Y%m%d).tar"
+if [[ -f "$myFile" ]]; then yell "$myFile already exists."; else yell "$myFile doesn't yet exist."; fi
+if checkMakeTar "$myFile"; then
+ yell "checkMakeTar() function run and exited:$?";
+else
+ yell "checkMakeTar() function run and exited:$?";
+fi
+
+if [[ -f "$myFile" ]]; then
+ yell "Now exists :$myFile";
+ ls -l "$myFile";
+else
+ yell "Does not exist:$myFile";
+ ls -l "$myFile";
+fi
+#====END sample code====
+
+# Author: Steven Baltakatei Sandoval
+# License: GPLv3+