using find to remove files using a while read command issue

Springs · 02-22-2017, 08:09 AM

hi all,

trying to write something to clear up files that i don't need in specific folders. i'm using the below to action it all but it seems that the rm command is not working?

Code:

 while read -r line
do
find /path/to/folder -iname "$line" -type f -exec rm {} \;
done < input.txt

input.txt contents just have file extensions inside ie. *.pdf* or *.txt* in a list

now when i run the find command manually in a terminal it works. If i change "$line" to something that's in the input file it works.

as well, if i change the find command to echo the lines instead it works fine. just seems that when i use the find command as per the above it doesn't work

any ideas? am i doing something wrong?

Turbocapitalist · 02-22-2017, 08:12 AM

You have an extra dash in there after -type. Check the error message.

szboardstretcher · 02-22-2017, 08:14 AM

Before you EVER run a find command that executes a delete, you should TEST it first with something not so destructive. Like a -print or a copy to make sure the results are what you expect.

For example:

Code:

find /path/to/folder -iname "$line" -type f -print
or
find /path/to/folder -iname "$line" -type f -exec cp {} /path/to/test/folder \;

Turbocapitalist · 02-22-2017, 08:20 AM

Ah. That's much better advice.

BW-userx · 02-22-2017, 08:21 AM

find is recursive no loop needed

Code:

find /path/to/folder -iname "$line" -type -f -exec rm {} \;

I didn't see a deliminator to specify what files it needed to look for to delete.

the way it is written in that loop it'd delete everything.

you just need to give it a qualified specifier. something unique to the files you want it to find then delete.

like this

Code:

find /path/to/folder -type -f -iname "*gerp*"  -exec rm {} \;

finding within file name googerpbs gets deleted.

example

Code:

(userx@SlackO⚡️~/test)>>$ touch goodgerptt
(userx@SlackO⚡️~/test)>>$ find . -type f -iname "*gerp*"
./goodgerptt

Springs · 02-22-2017, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Turbocapitalist

You have an extra dash in there after -type. Check the error message.

sorry that's me typing without reading it fully. my saved script doesn't have the extra - after -type

Quote:

Originally Posted by BW-userx

find is recursive no loop needed

that may be true but i'm trying to pass multiple file extensions through it which it can't do on it's own

Turbocapitalist · 02-22-2017, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Springs

that may be true but i'm trying to pass multiple file extensions through it which it can't do on it's own

Ok. You've run into the situation that find has an implied logical AND between each element in the expression. It is possible to use a logical OR when needed. But you'll need to also use parenthesis to apply proper precedence to the group:

Code:

find /path/to/folder \( -iname '*.pdf' -o -iname '*.txt' \) -type f -exec echo rm {} \;

BW-userx · 02-22-2017, 08:44 AM

I wasn't even going to address this original question because it is mute. I actually just closed that post off canceling it then read this so now that you've said something on it.

Let pull apart your code and see what it is not doing that you wanted it to. even though it is a bit redundant.

Though I see your logic in trying to get everything done at once, having more than one extension type file you are wanting to get rid off at the same time.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Springs

......
that may be true but i'm trying to pass multiple file extensions through it which it can't do on it's own

Quote:

Originally Posted by Springs

as well, if i change the find command to echo the lines instead it works fine. just seems that when i use the find command as per the above [in a loop] it doesn't work

any ideas? am i doing something wrong?

how does that code get the extensions out of your file and know where to place them within the line of code you're trying to run inside of the loop?

try this instead

Code:

(userx@SlackO⚡️~/test)>>$ find . -type f \( -iname \*.jpg -o -iname \*.png \)
./filebadfile1.jpg
./filebadfile1.png

szboardstretcher · 02-22-2017, 08:46 AM

Interesting.

Code:

find /path/to/folder \( -iname '*.pdf' -o -iname '*.txt' \) -type f -exec echo rm {} \;

Is a nice way to oneline this.

pan64 · 02-22-2017, 08:49 AM

additionally:
you can use -delete instead of -exec rm {}

rknichols · 02-22-2017, 08:54 AM

Is there some error message when the rm "doesn't work"?

Try running the script with the shell's "-x" option so that you can see what find command is actually being executed.

You can try using "-ok" in place of "-exec" and get prompted before each attempted execution of "rm".

And finally, find can do the deletion all on its own:

Code:

find /path/to/folder -iname "$line" -type f -delete

BW-userx · 02-22-2017, 08:55 AM

you're not still trying this in a loop, is someone?

no more loop needed, nor shell script. just run it off the cli. one line bam done.

I'd suggest creating a test dir and files and just keep in inside of it by replacing the path to with just a period . to keep it inside of that dir to see if it deletes only the ones being looked for.

doesn't hurt to test first.

like so

Code:

(userx@SlackO⚡️~/test)>>$ touch badfile.jpg
(userx@SlackO⚡️~/test)>>$ touch badfile.png
(userx@SlackO⚡️~/test)>>$ ls
ConvertNumbersIntoWords  EspeakConvertNumbersIntoWords  a.out  badfile.jpg  badfile.png  dependencies  goodgerptt  h  homework1  main.cpp

(userx@SlackO⚡️~/test)>>$ find . -type f \( -iname \*.jpg -o -iname \*.png \)  -delete

(userx@SlackO⚡️~/test)>>$ ls
ConvertNumbersIntoWords  EspeakConvertNumbersIntoWords  a.out  dependencies  goodgerptt  h  homework1  main.cpp

just them are gone