Deleting files...

Skillz · 10-13-2009, 06:17 PM

I want to delete a bunch of files that all begin with index in a bunch of subdirectories, and some of those sub directories have sub directories with files in it too. This is how I think I would do it, can someone please confirm for me before I delete stuff I shouldn't?

ls -R | del -f index*

lutusp · 10-13-2009, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skillz

I want to delete a bunch of files that all begin with index in a bunch of subdirectories, and some of those sub directories have sub directories with files in it too. This is how I think I would do it, can someone please confirm for me before I delete stuff I shouldn't?

ls -R | del -f index*

So you want to delete files that begin with the string "index" regardless of where they are, yes?

Code:

find /path/of/interest -type f | grep -P "/index[^/]*$" | while read path
do
    echo "Would delete file \"$path\""
    # rm "$path"
done

Definitely test this script before uncommenting the commented line.

Skillz · 10-13-2009, 06:56 PM

Well I want the ones that are only in the directory public_html and all of it's sub directories. So if the /path/of/interest can be /home/user/public_html and it'll delete all the files with the string "index" within' that directory and all of it's sub directories, then yes.

lutusp · 10-13-2009, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skillz

Well I want the ones that are only in the directory public_html and all of it's sub directories. So if the /path/of/interest can be /home/user/public_html and it'll delete all the files with the string "index" within' that directory and all of it's sub directories, then yes.

I wrote the script so it only prints out what it would do if you uncommented the commented line, so why not try it as written and see what files it finds?

Skillz · 10-13-2009, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lutusp

I wrote the script so it only prints out what it would do if you uncommented the commented line, so why not try it as written and see what files it finds?

Tested and it will delete exactly what I want. Thanks so much!

ArfaSmif · 10-14-2009, 12:22 AM

FYI

find /home/user/public_html -name index\* -exec rm -f '{}' \;

will do the same thing.

If you want to make sure you have all the correct files beforehand, leave off the "-exec rm -f '{}' \;" part of the command above. If it is what you want reinstate the -exec part and all is good.

lutusp · 10-14-2009, 12:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArfaSmif

FYI

find /home/user/public_html -name index\* -exec rm -f '{}' \;

will do the same thing.

If you want to make sure you have all the correct files beforehand, leave off the "-exec rm -f '{}' \;" part of the command above. If it is what you want reinstate the -exec part and all is good.

No, it is not the same thing at all -- not remotely. Your script will try to delete anything with "index*" as part of its path, including directories, file names that have "index*" located somewhere other than the beginning of their names, and so forth.

Quote:

will do the same thing.

Simply false. Think about how your script differs from mine.

ArfaSmif · 10-14-2009, 12:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lutusp

No, it is not the same thing at all -- not remotely. Your script will try to delete anything with "index*" as part of its path, including directories, file names that have "index*" located somewhere other than the beginning of their names, and so forth.

Simply false. Think about how your script differs from mine.

1. rm -f will not delete a directory
2. index\* will only match files/directories beginning with the word index
3. Any directory index* will not be removed by rm -f and all files below it index* which are not directories will be removed.

And you should think about the word "patronising".