[SOLVED] Command line works, won't work from inside bash script

w6lsn · 02-16-2011, 01:35 AM

writing script to create backup of file by adding datetime to file name. Basically test for file presence
if there, cp with datetime
then rm original

cp works fine from command line but get
cannot stat `full path to file': No such file or directory

Code:

#!/bin/bash
base_dir='~/html/'
for a in CVP_dadamail; do
   ldir='/.dada_files/.logs/'
   f_name='errors.txt'
   f2bu=$base_dir$a$ldir$f_name
   dt1="$(date +%Y%m%d%H%M%S)"
   backup="$base_dir$a$ldir$dt1.$f_name"
   if [ -f $f2bu ]; then 
      cp $f2bu $backup
      rm $f2bu
   fi
done

here are the errors:
cp: cannot stat `~/html/CVP_dadamail/.dada_files/.logs/errors.txt': No such file or directory

rm: cannot remove `...': No such file or directory

The for statement is a placeholder as I have same file to backup out of several directories.

using "bash -x scriptname" -OR- inserting echos, I can see I've constructed the strings properly. Believing it might be related to the hidden directories, I tried setting the shopt "glob" options to no avail.

Ultimately I'll add the other directories to the for loop and then run this from a cron job, so if you see potential pitfalls knowing I'm headed in that direction...

believe construct would be

Code:

for a in dir1 dir2 dir3; do

Thanks for looking...

Sayan Acharjee · 02-16-2011, 01:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by w6lsn

writing script to create backup of file by adding datetime to file name. Basically test for file presence
if there, cp with datetime
then rm original

cp works fine from command line but get
cannot stat `full path to file': No such file or directory

Code:

#!/bin/bash
base_dir='~/html/'
for a in CVP_dadamail; do
   ldir='/.dada_files/.logs/'
   f_name='errors.txt'
   f2bu=$base_dir$a$ldir$f_name
   dt1="$(date +%Y%m%d%H%M%S)"
   backup="$base_dir$a$ldir$dt1.$f_name"
   if [ -f $f2bu ]; then 
      cp $f2bu $backup
      rm $f2bu
   fi
done

here are the errors:
cp: cannot stat `~/html/CVP_dadamail/.dada_files/.logs/errors.txt': No such file or directory

rm: cannot remove `...': No such file or directory

The for statement is a placeholder as I have same file to backup out of several directories.

using "bash -x scriptname" -OR- inserting echos, I can see I've constructed the strings properly. Believing it might be related to the hidden directories, I tried setting the shopt "glob" options to no avail.

Ultimately I'll add the other directories to the for loop and then run this from a cron job, so if you see potential pitfalls knowing I'm headed in that direction...

believe construct would be

Code:

for a in dir1 dir2 dir3; do

Thanks for looking...

Hi,
Instead of using `~/html/CVP_dadamail/.dada_files/.logs/errors.txt, use the absolute path for that file because this path is not accessible by your script.

grail · 02-16-2011, 02:25 AM

Code:

for a in CVP_dadamail; do

Even if adding several directories to this for loop, it is a very inefficient way to perform this task.
As you have pretty much written every piece of the path by hand, just placed in variables, you may as well have just done the cp by hand anyway.

Maybe if you explained your goal it would be easier to assist?

As Sayan has said above, unless the script is always to be run as the user who has the directories it will not work for anyone else when using tilde (~).

w6lsn · 02-16-2011, 09:56 AM

changing the ~ to absolute, works. Thanks!
Already added second loop to rotate through the files in each directory.

Can anyone suggest a good intermediate book on Linux / bash or is there a place on this board to look?
I prefer a book with solid examples of code that are explained rather than the book teaching me looping or conditional branching etc.

Reuti · 02-17-2011, 05:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by w6lsn

changing the ~ to absolute, works.

You put to ~ in single (or double) quotes. This would be in the variable then as literal text. You could have in the script:

Code:

eval backup="$base_dir$a$ldir$dt1.$f_name"

This would interpret again the already substituted variables.

Quote:

Originally Posted by w6lsn

Can anyone suggest a good intermediate book on Linux / bash or is there a place on this board to look?
I prefer a book with solid examples of code that are explained rather than the book teaching me looping or conditional branching etc.

One book I like and advertise to the local students: Sams Teach Yourself Shell Programming in 24 hrs. After reading the book `man bash | a2ps` and `man awk | a2ps` can be considered.