any suggestions how to make the counting proper for empty and non-empty list? with echo -n: $ echo -n /lib/modules/2.6.22.16-3/misc/nvidia.ko | wc -l 0 $ echo -n ""| wc -l 0 with echo: $ echo /lib/modules/2.6.22.16-3/misc/nvidia.ko | wc -l 1 $ echo ""| wc -l 1 $ -- glen