Select multiple directory in bash script

samiel · 08-09-2012, 05:48 PM

I have to set a variable $SOURCE for a bash script
How can I write in a short way

Code:

$SOURCE="{~/aaa,~/bbb,~/ccc,...,~/zzz}

where aaa, bbb etc are directories?
Thanx
samiel

chrism01 · 08-09-2012, 06:43 PM

1. you're missing an ending double-quote ' " '
2. what do you mean by 'short way' ?
Need more info/examples

samiel · 08-10-2012, 07:30 AM

I've a script to backup some directories in my home.
This is the script (abridged):

Code:

#!/bin/bash

SOURCE="{argomentare/*,articoli/*}"
TARGET="/media/CORSAIR"
date=`date "+%y-%M-%D"`
TAG="backup"

if mount | grep -q $TARGET
then
	echo "Il disco è montato: eseguo il backup"
	logger Inizio backup di $SOURCE per `hostname` -t $TAG
	rsync -rvu --progress $SOURCE $TARGET/
	RSYNCERR=$?
	logger Fine backup per `hostname`: rsync ha restituito $RSYNCERR -t $TAG
	exit 0
else
	echo "Il disco non è montato"
	logger Impossibile eseguire il backup di `hostname`: disco non montato -t $TAG
	exit 1
fi

but it gives me this error:

Code:

samiel@debian:~$ bash -x backup.sh
+ SOURCE='{argomentare/*,articoli/*}'
+ TARGET=/media/CORSAIR
++ date +%y-%M-%D
+ date=12-29-08/10/12
+ TAG=backup
+ mount
+ grep -q /media/CORSAIR
+ echo 'Il disco è montato: eseguo il backup'
Il disco è montato: eseguo il backup
++ hostname
+ logger Inizio backup di '{argomentare/*,articoli/*}' per debian -t backup
+ rsync -rvu --progress '{argomentare/*,articoli/*}' /media/CORSAIR/
sending incremental file list
rsync: change_dir "/home/samiel//{argomentare/*,articoli" failed: No such file or directory (2)

sent 12 bytes  received 12 bytes  48.00 bytes/sec
total size is 0  speedup is 0.00
rsync error: some files/attrs were not transferred (see previous errors) (code 23) at main.c(1070) [sender=3.0.9]
+ RSYNCERR=23
++ hostname
+ logger Fine backup per debian: rsync ha restituito 23 -t backup
+ exit 0

SO I thing there is something wring in $SOURCE

Thanx

grail · 08-10-2012, 08:30 AM

I guess the question you need to ask yourself is, would the following work if you ran it as is on the command line:

Code:

rsync -rvu --progress '{argomentare/*,articoli/*}' /media/CORSAIR/

Assuming not, you then need to ask yourself what would you type on the command line? This will then help with what you need to store in the variable.
Initially I would probably suggest using an array.

lleb · 08-10-2012, 09:20 AM

you might want to look into creating an includes option in your excludes.txt file:

so create a file called excludes.txt and it should look something like this:

Code:

+ foo/
+ foo2/
- foo3/

the + tells rsync to add the file or directory while the - tells it to ignore.

rysnc -rvu -X /path/to/excludes.txt source destination

should do it for you.

samiel · 08-10-2012, 11:10 AM

Quote:

I would probably suggest using an array

Can you show me an example?

Thanx

grail · 08-10-2012, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Can you show me an example?

First you need to show what you would enter on the command line and confirm it works?

Also, lleb's suggestion was worth investigating too.

jschiwal · 08-10-2012, 12:51 PM

If the arguments are to be evaluated locally, by bash, then the wild cards and brace expansion shouldn't be in quotes.
If you precede a connand with set, you can examine the arguments $1, $2, etc. to verify what arguments the command sees after bash performs the various expansions.

samiel · 08-10-2012, 02:23 PM

Il I had all this theorical knowledge,
I would be able to write that array.
If I ask for an example, that is because
I'm not able to write this script by myself...

s

cbtshare · 08-10-2012, 03:07 PM

Why cant you just put a bunch a directory locations in a variable and go through it with a for loop?

samiel · 08-10-2012, 03:30 PM

I don't need to backup all my home,
but only some selected directories.
Is there no way to tell bash to select them
in a short way? You suggested me some solutions,
but I dont understand what is the more convenient,
and in any case I've no experience
in bash programming... Any concrete example
will be welcome :-)

S

grail · 08-11-2012, 08:44 AM

You are missing my point. I am not asking you to write arrays or any more code. What I am asking is for you to write the command line entry needed to perform the task you are attempting.
For example:

Code:

rsync -rvu --progress old_dir/* new_dir

I am not confirming the above works, but my main point is, what does work and do you really require the wildcards?

samiel · 08-11-2012, 01:59 PM

Code:

rsync -rvu --progress old_dir/* new_dir

works. My problem is to choose more directories
in a economical way. I'd like to backup some directories
old_dir1,old_dir2,...,old_dir15

S

grail · 08-12-2012, 03:12 AM

So again, what would it look like on the command line for more than one directory? Also, do you require the asterisk (wildcard)?

samiel · 08-12-2012, 04:37 AM

From console in the following form the command works correcly (yes, without wildcards...):

Code:

samiel@debian:~$ rsync -rvu --progress {bibliografie,documenti} prova

It doesn't work fron bash script:

Code:

#!/bin/bash
SOURCE="{argomentare,bibliografie,documenti}"
TARGET="/media/CORSAIR"		# Directory di destinazione dove cui fare il backup
date=`date "+%y-%M-%D"` # Data del backup; %H_%M per avere anche l'orario
TAG="backup" # tag dei log scritti in /var/log/messages
if mount | grep -q $TARGET
then
	echo "Il disco è montato: eseguo il backup"
	logger Inizio backup di $SOURCE per `hostname` -t $TAG
	rsync -rvu --progress $SOURCE $TARGET/
	RSYNCERR=$?
	logger Fine backup per `hostname`: rsync ha restituito $RSYNCERR -t $TAG
	exit 0
else
	echo "Il disco non è montato"
	logger Impossibile eseguire il backup di `hostname`: disco non montato -t $TAG
	exit 1
fi

bacause it tells:

Code:

samiel@debian:~$ bash -x backup.sh
+ SOURCE='{argomentare,bibliografie,documenti}'
+ TARGET=/media/CORSAIR
++ date +%y-%M-%D
+ date=12-34-08/12/12
+ TAG=backup
+ mount
+ grep -q /media/CORSAIR
+ echo 'Il disco è montato: eseguo il backup'
Il disco è montato: eseguo il backup
++ hostname
+ logger Inizio backup di '{argomentare,bibliografie,documenti}' per debian -t backup
+ rsync -rvu --progress '{argomentare,bibliografie,documenti}' /media/CORSAIR/
sending incremental file list
rsync: link_stat "/home/samiel/{argomentare,bibliografie,documenti}" failed: No such file or directory (2)
sent 12 bytes  received 12 bytes  48.00 bytes/sec
total size is 0  speedup is 0.00
rsync error: some files/attrs were not transferred (see previous errors) (code 23) at main.c(1070) [sender=3.0.9]
+ RSYNCERR=23
++ hostname
+ logger Fine backup per debian: rsync ha restituito 23 -t backup
+ exit 0

whre you can see in particular:

Code:

rsync: link_stat "/home/samiel/{argomentare,bibliografie,documenti}" failed: No such file or directory (2)

S