timestamp

anaik100 · 11-13-2006, 10:49 PM

my logic is
current timrstamp - file stamp > 15
then delete this file

needed help to write a script for above logic

imagineers7 · 11-14-2006, 04:19 AM

hi anaik100,

find <path of dir> -mtime -15 -name "*" -exec rm '{}' \; -print

Will search for all files under the <path> which have been modified within 15 days and then will delete them,

Hope, This hint will help you

Aniruddha

Quigi · 11-14-2006, 09:21 AM

Yep, find will do it without a script.

The test -name "*" has the effect of excluding files that start with a period ("."). Anaik100 didn't post this restriction, so be sure it is intended.

If there are many files, forking off a subprocess using -exec can be slow. If that's an issue,

Code:

find directory -mtime 15 | xargs rm

If you want to see what gets deleted (as with -print above), use rm -v.

trickykid · 11-14-2006, 09:59 AM

When I want to just delete files, I'll usually add a -type f so it doesn't remove directories I want to keep in place, just a little extra precaution I use.

anaik100 · 11-14-2006, 01:40 PM

i want to delete the files which were created before 15 days. The script deletes the file which were created in last 15 days.

Please clarify

Quigi · 11-14-2006, 02:09 PM

man find

-15 (as the first poster suggested) means "less than 15 days ago". 15 (as I accidentally wrote) means "exactly 15 days ago", that is 15 24-hour periods, omitting any fractional part. Obviously it should have been "more than 15 days ago", i.e.

Code:

find directory -type f -mtime +15 | xargs rm

Taking trickyid's advice. BTW, while experimenting, rm -i is safer than rm.

imagineers7 · 11-15-2006, 02:00 AM

Hi,

Quote:

Originally Posted by QUIGI

find directory -type f -mtime +15 | xargs rm

But, if the no. of arguments ie. no of files find produces is larger, bash will give errors that argument list is to much large.

So, it is better to operate one file at a time using -exec or -ok. Because I belive that both the switches work one argument at a time.

I am not sure about -exec / -ok 's behaviour about that but it does not produce argument list is too much large error. Correct me if I am wrong.

Thanks & Regards,

Aniruddha

Quigi · 11-15-2006, 08:56 AM

If resource consumption is no problem, go with -exec.

You can limit the length of the command line / argument list by using the option --max-chars or --max-args or --max-lines to xargs. It will then invoke rm repeatedly, but you'll still save, because it can remove many files at a time.