Xargs and spaces in file path

mgichoga · 01-04-2008, 11:30 AM

I'm trying to delete some mp3 from my backup server to free up some space and was using locate and xargs to do this. This works well except when there is a space in the file path. How can I pass the file path to xargs with quotes so the rm command can be able to parse the file path. this is what the command I'm issuing

locate *.mp3 | xargs rm

Dinithion · 01-04-2008, 11:59 AM

Try:
locate --print0 *.mp3 | xargs -0 -n 10 echo

I'm not sure if it will work. It works here in small scale, but when I push the whole locate trough, it gives a error msg. Anyway, the --print0 option sends a ascii0 at the end of the filename, and -0 option on xargs uses this null as a argument seperator. Finally -n limits the execution to 10 files at a time.

If it works, change echo with rm

Tinkster · 01-04-2008, 12:57 PM

Or

Code:

locate \.mp3|xargs -i rm "{}"

might work .... (untested!)

Cheers,
Tink