ls *.html bash scripting

bhar0761 · 09-20-2005, 03:43 PM

i would like to be able to enclose this variable command var1=$(ls *.html) with quotes.
for instance, if there are files in the directory like:
hello world.html and hello.html
when i pass the ls *.html to the command line, i want it to return quoted

so when i call the variable var1
echo $var1
"hello world.html" "hello.html:

and not
hello world.html hello.html

one way of doing it is using sed but is there another way.
ls | sed -e 's/^/"/' -e 's/$/"/g'

jonaskoelker · 09-20-2005, 04:36 PM

Code:

export IFS='
'
for i in $(ls -1 | grep ' '); do echo $i; done

hth --Jonas

Matir · 09-20-2005, 04:41 PM

Check out the tidbit I put in the LQ wiki a few weeks ago here: http://wiki.linuxquestions.org/wiki/...n_in_Filenames

Matir · 09-20-2005, 04:41 PM

The short of it, by the way, is to use the -q or, better, the --quote=shell options.

bhar0761 · 09-20-2005, 04:46 PM

wow, that is pretty funny, i even scanned through the man page for ls and i missed. what an idiot i am.

thank you much.......

Matir · 09-20-2005, 04:52 PM

Hey, I've been using Linux for 6-7 years and only noticed that option last month. In some cases, you may need to make sure it's using the /bin/ls and not the shell built-in ls (only some shells have a built in, but most of those don't support the -q options).

bhar0761 · 09-20-2005, 04:58 PM

cool, so im trying to do this in order to move files but when i try this command to move the files, it returns and error
files in the directory are
h m.html
q d.html

#!/bin/bash
for file in `ls --quote-style=shell *.html`
do mv $file /temp
done

> ./m.sh
"h
mv: cannot stat `"h': No such file or directory
w.html"
mv: cannot stat `w.html"': No such file or directory
"q
mv: cannot stat `"q': No such file or directory
d.html"
mv: cannot stat `d.html"': No such file or directory

why the errors?
i have tried adjusting the ls command but no luck

Matir · 09-20-2005, 05:02 PM

Have you tried:

Code:

find . -name '*.html' -exec mv {} /temp \;

Note that this will also do subdirectories of the current directory. Adding '-maxdepth 0' will disable this recursion.

jonaskoelker · 09-20-2005, 05:04 PM

or just

Code:

$ mv *html /temp

bhar0761 · 09-20-2005, 05:14 PM

Yes that worked, thank you
but it is there an explanation why the other command didn't work. i would sure love to be able to use the ls command
the reason being that I am tying to save the files as a variable so i can call them to do different things before the move command

converting them to ps
printing them and then moving to a different directory
find . -name '*.html' -exec mv {} /temp \;

Matir · 09-20-2005, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jonaskoelker
or just

Code:

$ mv *html /temp

That too.

Though I'd include the . as well to avoid "guidetohtml" (just an example) getting moved, as in

Code:

$ mv *.html /temp

Always be as specific as possible and you end up with fewer unintended consequences.

Matir · 09-20-2005, 05:17 PM

You know, I think I made a mistake. I believe the proper option is --quoting-style. My apologies for that.
I just tested

Code:

for file in `ls --quoting-style=shell *.html`
do mv $file /temp
done

with great success.

bhar0761 · 09-20-2005, 06:01 PM

i just copied and tried it but i got the same error..i will keep trying.

Code:

#!/bin/bash
for file in `ls --quoting-style=shell *.html`
do mv $file /temp
done

bhar0761 · 09-20-2005, 06:43 PM

Interesting, I can seem to get to use the "for" script

i even went to the basics and tried it line by line
files in directory:
index 1.html index 2.html
var1=$(ls -Q *.html)
mv $var1 /temp
cp $var1 /temp
neither command work s

but if i actually write
mv "index 1.html" "index 2.html" /temp
it works just fine

What do you think?
Did the "for script work for you?

Matir · 09-20-2005, 09:09 PM

The for script works fine for me. Please place an "echo" before the mv in the script so we can see what commands it wants to execute and then post the output here.