[SOLVED] Problems using find . lname

Andre1234567 · 06-03-2010, 01:23 AM

Hi,
this works, but I think it I should not change the settings on the production environment. Do you have an other idea?

Kind Regards
Andre

Code:

Directory="-lname *"
set -f                  # Turn off bash filename expansion
for i in $(find . ${Directory});do
echo $i
done
set +f                  # Turn on bash filename expansion

[/QUOTE]

bdt-rob · 06-03-2010, 02:20 AM

You can't take the quotes out entirely, Alunduil, as the shell will then expand the "*" in the wrong way.

The use of $() is irrelevant, MTK358, so just stop harping on about it.

@Andre : The reason your modification of my advice didn't work is that by quoting the "-lname" in with the "*" you have merged them into a single entity. You NEED the "*" to be a single, quoted entity (not single-quoted, though) so that the shell doesn't expand it (and thus leaves a wild card for find to work with) but you MUST NOT merge it with the "predicate" (the rule "-lname") otherwise the expression is not one of the valid rules.

Using the "set -f" to avoid wildcard expansion is acceptable, but like you I find it ugly. I would strongly recommend NOT including "-lname" in your $Directory variable, as it's not part of the pattern anyway so logically it's misleading to have it there.

Code:

Directory="*"
for i in $(find . -lname "${Directory}");do
echo $i
done

MTK358 · 06-03-2010, 07:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bdt-rob

The use of $() is irrelevant, MTK358, so just stop harping on about it.

I know it won't fix his script, but it's much better practice than backticks.

catkin · 06-03-2010, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bdt-rob

You'll note I've reverted to back-ticks - they're perfectly good enough for this and rweaver's objection is an irrelevant red herring.

rweaver did not object; he correctly pointed out that "`` has been depreciated". The reasons are set out here.

catkin · 06-03-2010, 07:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bdt-rob

Code:

Directory="*"
for i in $(find . -lname "${Directory}");do
echo $i
done

The { and } are not necessary; they are not wrong.

Andre1234567 · 06-04-2010, 03:08 AM

Hi bdt-rob,
your solution worked fine. thanks a lot.

Kind Regards from Munich.
Andre

Quote:

Originally Posted by bdt-rob

You can't take the quotes out entirely, Alunduil, as the shell will then expand the "*" in the wrong way.

The use of $() is irrelevant, MTK358, so just stop harping on about it.

@Andre : The reason your modification of my advice didn't work is that by quoting the "-lname" in with the "*" you have merged them into a single entity. You NEED the "*" to be a single, quoted entity (not single-quoted, though) so that the shell doesn't expand it (and thus leaves a wild card for find to work with) but you MUST NOT merge it with the "predicate" (the rule "-lname") otherwise the expression is not one of the valid rules.

Using the "set -f" to avoid wildcard expansion is acceptable, but like you I find it ugly. I would strongly recommend NOT including "-lname" in your $Directory variable, as it's not part of the pattern anyway so logically it's misleading to have it there.

Code:

Directory="*"
for i in $(find . -lname "${Directory}");do
echo $i
done