From c107189e6c503c55ee24be6d2b9b645bcbc7a928 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Mark Ridgwell <273118822+dnyw4l3n13@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Wed, 24 Jun 2026 18:32:25 +0000
Subject: [PATCH 1/7] fix: replace raw echo with output helpers in check

Replaced the script-local die/testing/hint/fail functions with the
canonical die, info, and success helpers from shell-scripts.instructions.md.
All call sites updated; excluded() echo "1"/"0" return values preserved.

Prompt: Replace raw echo with output helpers in `check` (issue #619)

Closes #619
---
 CHANGELOG.md |  1 +
 check        | 58 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++-----------------------
 2 files changed, 33 insertions(+), 26 deletions(-)

diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index eeac92a2..05efc3b2 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ Please ADD ALL Changes to the UNRELEASED SECTION and not a specific release
 - git/make-preview: replaced raw echo with die/info/success output helpers
 - Replaced raw echo with output helpers (die/info/success) in git/clean-all
 - GEOIP - Updated GEOIP DB from MaxMind (2026-06-24)
+- check: replaced raw echo-based output with standard die, info, and success helpers
 ### Deprecated
 ### Removed
 - db/sqlcompare script deleted — no longer in use
diff --git a/check b/check
index 056c4d08..6ede2a67 100755
--- a/check
+++ b/check
@@ -1,22 +1,28 @@
 #! /bin/bash
 
 die() {
-    echo "$@"
+    if [ -t 2 ]; then
+        printf '\n\033[31m✗\033[0m %s\n' "$*" >&2
+    else
+        printf '\n✗ %s\n' "$*" >&2
+    fi
     exit 1
 }
 
-testing() {
-  echo " + $*"
-}
-
-hint() {
-    echo "  ? CHECK: $*"
+success() {
+    if [ -t 1 ]; then
+        printf '\n\033[32m✓\033[0m %s\n' "$*"
+    else
+        printf '\n✓ %s\n' "$*"
+    fi
 }
 
-fail() {
-    echo "  - ERROR: $*"
-    exit 1
-
+info() {
+    if [ -t 1 ]; then
+        printf '\n\033[32m→\033[0m %s\n' "$*"
+    else
+        printf '\n→ %s\n' "$*"
+    fi
 }
 
 
@@ -52,47 +58,47 @@ FILES=$({ \
       done < <(find "$BASEDIR" -not -path '*/.*' -type f -print) || die "Search: Shebang"
       } | sort | uniq)
 
-echo "Testing:"
+info "Testing:"
 for FILE in $FILES; do
-  echo "* $FILE"
-  testing "Executable"
+  info "* $FILE"
+  info "Executable"
   if [ ! -x "$FILE" ]; then
-    fail "Not Executable"
+    die "Not Executable"
   fi
 
-  testing "Shebang"
+  info "Shebang"
   FIRST_LINE=$(head -1 "$FILE")
   if [[ $FIRST_LINE =~ $REGEX_SHEBANG ]]; then
     SHEBANG_EXEC="${BASH_REMATCH[1]}"
     SHELL=
     if [ "$SHEBANG_EXEC" = "/bin/bash" ]; then
       SHELL="bash"
-      bash -n -u "$FILE" || fail "$SHELL: Invalid Script"
-      sh -n "$FILE" > /dev/null 2>&1 && hint "Could be run in bash?"
+      bash -n -u "$FILE" || die "$SHELL: Invalid Script"
+      sh -n "$FILE" > /dev/null 2>&1 && info "Could be run in sh?"
     elif [ "$SHEBANG_EXEC" = "/usr/bin/env bash" ]; then
       SHELL="bash"
-      bash -n -u  "$FILE" || fail "$SHELL: Invalid Script"
-      sh -n "$FILE" > /dev/null 2>&1 && hint "Could be run in bash?"
+      bash -n -u  "$FILE" || die "$SHELL: Invalid Script"
+      sh -n "$FILE" > /dev/null 2>&1 && info "Could be run in sh?"
     elif [ "$SHEBANG_EXEC" = "/bin/sh" ]; then
       SHELL="sh"
-      sh -n "$FILE" || fail "$SHELL: Invalid Script"
+      sh -n "$FILE" || die "$SHELL: Invalid Script"
     elif [ "$SHEBANG_EXEC" = "/usr/bin/env sh" ]; then
       SHELL="sh"
-      sh -n "$FILE" || fail "$SHELL: Invalid Script"
+      sh -n "$FILE" || die "$SHELL: Invalid Script"
     else
-      fail "Unknown Shell: $SHEBANG_EXEC"
+      die "Unknown Shell: $SHEBANG_EXEC"
     fi
 
 
   else
-    fail "No Shebang: $FIRST_LINE"
+    die "No Shebang: $FIRST_LINE"
   fi
 
   ## Run Shellcheck on the file
   if [ "$(excluded "$FILE")" = "1" ]; then
-    hint "Excluded from shellcheck"
+    info "Excluded from shellcheck"
   else
-    shellcheck "$FILE" || fail "Shellcheck"
+    shellcheck "$FILE" || die "Shellcheck"
   fi
 
 done

From 111228ac2d9e187fef8ed2c451e55243568a8792 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Mark Ridgwell <273118822+dnyw4l3n13@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Wed, 24 Jun 2026 19:29:55 +0000
Subject: [PATCH 2/7] fix: call success() after all checks pass in check script
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit

success() was defined but never called, leaving the script silent on
successful completion — indistinguishable from mid-run termination.

Prompt: fix each code-review finding in its own commit
---
 check | 2 ++
 1 file changed, 2 insertions(+)

diff --git a/check b/check
index 6ede2a67..36de8ac6 100755
--- a/check
+++ b/check
@@ -102,3 +102,5 @@ for FILE in $FILES; do
   fi
 
 done
+
+success "All checks passed"

From 4673a79c088eb2754970ad10b8f2d282c355f797 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Mark Ridgwell <273118822+dnyw4l3n13@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Wed, 24 Jun 2026 19:30:16 +0000
Subject: [PATCH 3/7] fix: prefix sh-portability advisory with Hint: to
 distinguish from progress steps

The old hint() function emitted '  ? CHECK: ...' making advisories
visually distinct from progress steps. Replacing with info() collapses
them to the same format. Prefixing with 'Hint:' restores distinction.

Prompt: fix each code-review finding in its own commit
---
 check | 4 ++--
 1 file changed, 2 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/check b/check
index 36de8ac6..4d1ffc53 100755
--- a/check
+++ b/check
@@ -74,11 +74,11 @@ for FILE in $FILES; do
     if [ "$SHEBANG_EXEC" = "/bin/bash" ]; then
       SHELL="bash"
       bash -n -u "$FILE" || die "$SHELL: Invalid Script"
-      sh -n "$FILE" > /dev/null 2>&1 && info "Could be run in sh?"
+      sh -n "$FILE" > /dev/null 2>&1 && info "Hint: Could be run in sh?"
     elif [ "$SHEBANG_EXEC" = "/usr/bin/env bash" ]; then
       SHELL="bash"
       bash -n -u  "$FILE" || die "$SHELL: Invalid Script"
-      sh -n "$FILE" > /dev/null 2>&1 && info "Could be run in sh?"
+      sh -n "$FILE" > /dev/null 2>&1 && info "Hint: Could be run in sh?"
     elif [ "$SHEBANG_EXEC" = "/bin/sh" ]; then
       SHELL="sh"
       sh -n "$FILE" || die "$SHELL: Invalid Script"

From cd3db9ae993fd94fef10398592856326972f1256 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Mark Ridgwell <273118822+dnyw4l3n13@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Wed, 24 Jun 2026 19:30:41 +0000
Subject: [PATCH 4/7] fix: use mapfile array to avoid word-splitting on
 filenames with spaces

for FILE in \$FILES word-splits on \$IFS, breaking paths containing
spaces. mapfile -t + \"${FILES[@]}\" handles any filename safely.

Prompt: fix each code-review finding in its own commit
---
 check | 4 ++--
 1 file changed, 2 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/check b/check
index 4d1ffc53..ca39de29 100755
--- a/check
+++ b/check
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ excluded() {
 }
 
 # Find all the script files both executable and ones with shebang
-FILES=$({ \
+mapfile -t FILES < <({ \
       find "$BASEDIR" -not -path '*/.*' -type f -executable -print || die "Search: find"
       while IFS= read -r SHEBANG_FILE; do
         IFS= read -r FIRST_LINE < "$SHEBANG_FILE" || continue
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ FILES=$({ \
       } | sort | uniq)
 
 info "Testing:"
-for FILE in $FILES; do
+for FILE in "${FILES[@]}"; do
   info "* $FILE"
   info "Executable"
   if [ ! -x "$FILE" ]; then

From 1b089c17d174a250e7eb4b86547d3bbbdfd75627 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Mark Ridgwell <273118822+dnyw4l3n13@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Wed, 24 Jun 2026 19:35:45 +0000
Subject: [PATCH 5/7] fix: guard against empty FILES array before loop and
 success message

success "All checks passed" fired even with no files found, giving a
false-positive result when BASEDIR was wrong or no scripts existed.

Prompt: fix each code-review finding in its own commit
---
 check | 2 ++
 1 file changed, 2 insertions(+)

diff --git a/check b/check
index ca39de29..03c0ce41 100755
--- a/check
+++ b/check
@@ -58,6 +58,8 @@ mapfile -t FILES < <({ \
       done < <(find "$BASEDIR" -not -path '*/.*' -type f -print) || die "Search: Shebang"
       } | sort | uniq)
 
+[ "${#FILES[@]}" -gt 0 ] || die "No script files found in ${BASEDIR}"
+
 info "Testing:"
 for FILE in "${FILES[@]}"; do
   info "* $FILE"

From 29e568b0e2fb759a90f8ee647c2abf517ea1e194 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Mark Ridgwell <273118822+dnyw4l3n13@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Wed, 24 Jun 2026 19:42:02 +0000
Subject: [PATCH 6/7] fix: include filename in all die messages inside the
 per-file loop

die() now writes to stderr while info "* \$FILE" writes to stdout.
CI systems capturing them separately lose filename context. Adding
\${FILE} to every die message in the loop restores that context.

Prompt: fix each code-review finding in its own commit
---
 check | 16 ++++++++--------
 1 file changed, 8 insertions(+), 8 deletions(-)

diff --git a/check b/check
index 03c0ce41..678bf3ba 100755
--- a/check
+++ b/check
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ for FILE in "${FILES[@]}"; do
   info "* $FILE"
   info "Executable"
   if [ ! -x "$FILE" ]; then
-    die "Not Executable"
+    die "Not Executable: ${FILE}"
   fi
 
   info "Shebang"
@@ -75,32 +75,32 @@ for FILE in "${FILES[@]}"; do
     SHELL=
     if [ "$SHEBANG_EXEC" = "/bin/bash" ]; then
       SHELL="bash"
-      bash -n -u "$FILE" || die "$SHELL: Invalid Script"
+      bash -n -u "$FILE" || die "$SHELL: Invalid Script: ${FILE}"
       sh -n "$FILE" > /dev/null 2>&1 && info "Hint: Could be run in sh?"
     elif [ "$SHEBANG_EXEC" = "/usr/bin/env bash" ]; then
       SHELL="bash"
-      bash -n -u  "$FILE" || die "$SHELL: Invalid Script"
+      bash -n -u  "$FILE" || die "$SHELL: Invalid Script: ${FILE}"
       sh -n "$FILE" > /dev/null 2>&1 && info "Hint: Could be run in sh?"
     elif [ "$SHEBANG_EXEC" = "/bin/sh" ]; then
       SHELL="sh"
-      sh -n "$FILE" || die "$SHELL: Invalid Script"
+      sh -n "$FILE" || die "$SHELL: Invalid Script: ${FILE}"
     elif [ "$SHEBANG_EXEC" = "/usr/bin/env sh" ]; then
       SHELL="sh"
-      sh -n "$FILE" || die "$SHELL: Invalid Script"
+      sh -n "$FILE" || die "$SHELL: Invalid Script: ${FILE}"
     else
-      die "Unknown Shell: $SHEBANG_EXEC"
+      die "Unknown Shell: $SHEBANG_EXEC in ${FILE}"
     fi
 
 
   else
-    die "No Shebang: $FIRST_LINE"
+    die "No Shebang: $FIRST_LINE in ${FILE}"
   fi
 
   ## Run Shellcheck on the file
   if [ "$(excluded "$FILE")" = "1" ]; then
     info "Excluded from shellcheck"
   else
-    shellcheck "$FILE" || die "Shellcheck"
+    shellcheck "$FILE" || die "Shellcheck: ${FILE}"
   fi
 
 done

From 2b9127aaa5b8e2f3120d620fe873a73b21fbcc6c Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Mark Ridgwell <273118822+dnyw4l3n13@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Wed, 24 Jun 2026 19:42:22 +0000
Subject: [PATCH 7/7] docs: add CHANGELOG entries for correctness fixes in
 check

The original entry only mentioned output helper replacement; two
correctness fixes (mapfile word-splitting safety and empty-files guard)
were omitted and warranted their own entries.

Prompt: fix each code-review finding in its own commit
---
 CHANGELOG.md | 2 ++
 1 file changed, 2 insertions(+)

diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 05efc3b2..e463bc74 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@ Please ADD ALL Changes to the UNRELEASED SECTION and not a specific release
 - Replace raw echo with output helpers in db/createmssqldb
 - Replace raw echo with standard output helpers (die/info/success) in db/create-deploy-script
 - git/fetch: Unset core.hookspath for each repo during fetch so that globally-configured hook paths do not persist on individual repos
+- check: use mapfile array for file collection to handle filenames containing spaces correctly
+- check: guard against empty file list before checking — prevents false-positive success when no scripts are found
 ### Changed
 - Replace raw echo with standard output helpers (die/info/success) in github/cancel-workflows
 - Replace raw echo with standard output helpers (die/info/success) in git/update-repos-personal