using else if in a bash alias(homework)

Question

For my homework I need to write an alias that checks if a given file is regular and readable. The problem i am getting is that if i include else if or elif i get this error...

-bash: syntax error near unexpected token `else'

here is my code...

alias getname='read filename'

alias vfile='getname; if [ ! -f $filename ]; then echo "Irregular file"; (exit 1); elif [ ! -r $filename]; then echo "Not readable"; (exit 2); fi;'

I need to use an else if so that if there is an error only one statement will be printed.

I am aware that a shell function or script would be more practical but for the assignment I have to use an alias. I am still very new to UNIX so any help will be very much appreciated.

edit: I do have to use an alias, it is a file name that you give (a static file) and even when I change outelse if for elif I still receive the syntax error I described in the question.

EDIT2: I found the problem, I removed the fi; before the elif statement but now i receive a missing ']'error.

Answer 1

So this worked for me:

alias vfile='read -p "Enter the filename: " MY_FILE; if [ ! -f $MY_FILE ]; then echo "Irregular file"; (exit 1); elif [ ! -r $MY_FILE ]; then echo "Not readable"; (exit 2); fi'

EDIT I see what you did there =)

Just for readability here is the command broken out:

alias vfile='read -p "Enter the filename: " MY_FILE; \
if [ ! -f $MY_FILE ]; then \
echo "Irregular file"; \
(exit 1); \
elif [ ! -r $MY_FILE ]; then \
echo "Not readable"; \
(exit 2); \
fi'