delete certain subdirectory based on name

ufmale · 09-03-2008, 02:31 PM

I am trying to delete certain directories based on its name
here I search the dir that i want to delete.

Code:

[ch@ad an4]$ find ./ -name '*_1'
./parameters/cont_1000_1
./dir/buff_1

Now, i want to delete them, so I tried

Code:

$ find ./ -name '*_1' | rm -rf

Well, it does not work. Is there a correct pipe syntax that I should do?

BrianK · 09-03-2008, 02:34 PM

you can use the exec option of find, so:

Code:

find ./ -name '*_l' -exec rm -rfv {} \;

(note that I added the -v option - you may or may not want that)

should do it.

edited to add:
If you're looking for how to use rm with find but without using -exec, you'd do something like:

rm `find . -name 'foo*'`

the backticks say to evaluate the expression & use the return as args.

CRC123 · 09-03-2008, 02:36 PM

I don't know if 'rm' command takes input from pipes.

Try this instead:

Code:

rm -rf `find ./ -name '*_1'`

or

Code:

rm -rf $(find ./ -name '*_1')

i92guboj · 09-03-2008, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CRC123

I don't know if 'rm' command takes input from pipes.

Try this instead:

Code:

rm -rf `find ./ -name '*_1'`

or

Code:

rm -rf $(find ./ -name '*_1')

This can lead to potential problems, overall if the list is long enough.

BrianK's way is the correct one. Since find can do it all, let's use it. However, I would also add single quotation marks around the curly brackets:

Code:

find ./ -name '*_l' -exec rm -rfv '{}' \;

If you want to use pipes, use xargs:

Code:

find ./ -name '*_1' | xargs rm -rf

Or even

Code:

find ./ -name '*_1' | while read file; do rm -rf "$file"; done

Or even use redirection, however there's really no need to overcomplicate the things.