LDP/LDP/guide/docbook/abs-guide/ex39.sh

#!/bin/bash

ROOT_UID=0   # Only users with $UID 0 have root privileges.
E_NOTROOT=65
E_NOPARAMS=66

if [ "$UID" -ne "$ROOT_UID" ]
then
  echo "Must be root to run this script."
  # "Run along kid, it's past your bedtime."
  exit $E_NOTROOT
fi  

if [ -z "$1" ]
then
  echo "Usage: `basename $0` find-string"
  exit $E_NOPARAMS
fi


echo "Updating 'locate' database..."
echo "This may take a while."
updatedb /usr &     # Must be run as root.

wait
# Don't run the rest of the script until 'updatedb' finished.
# You want the database updated before looking up the file name.

locate $1

#  Without the 'wait' command, in the worse case scenario,
#+ the script would exit while 'updatedb' was still running,
#+ leaving it as an orphan process.

exit 0