#!/usr/bin/perl -w
use strict;
my @files = `ls -1`;
my $file;
foreach $file(@files) {
print "$file";
print "\n";
chomp $file;
sleep 7;
use File::Copy;
move("$file", "/home/casper1/tmp") or die "Move failed";
}

I use this to move file from one directory to a tmp directory. I works for me because it prints out the files before it moves them. If I do not want to move that particular file, I hit control c to stop script. I want to have the ability to skip over certain files in the array(have them remain in the designated folder) have been trying to add some if/else
statements asking for input verification - and then a shift(@files) command to skip over some files, but (see below) - but what the program does is wait for the first "y" then it moves all the files over. I want something that will ask me each time. I have been working on this two days it is time to get some advice.


#!/usr/bin/perl -w
use strict;
my @files = `ls -1`;
my $files;
print "Do you want to move file $files[0]";
my $answer = <>;

if ($answer eq "y") {
foreach $file(@files) {
print "$file";
print "\n";
chomp $file;
sleep 3;
use File::Copy;
move("$file", "/home/casper1/test") or die "Move failed";
}

elsif ($answer eq "n") {
$file = shift(@files);
}

else {
$file = shift(@files);
print " the file has been skipped";
}
}

Why are you doing this in perl?

Perl is a wonderful tool, but for something like this with user I/O on every file it is less than optimal. You are not taking advantage of perl's internal functions, globing, or other features of power to process more efficiently than a shell, so why not use a shell?

Almost any shell that includes 'read' and 'if' can prompt and gulp user response and conditionally call 'mv' to perform as well with greater simplicity.

UNtested and just off the top of my tired old head:

#!/bin/bash
HOME=/home/casper1
TARG=${HOME}/test

for file in `ls` ; do
echo -n "Shall I move ${file}? "
read foo junk
case $foo in
Y|y)
if mv $file $TARG
then
echo " File $foo moved to $TARG "
else
echo " File $foo move FAILED! "
fi
;;
*)
echo " Skipping $foo "
;;
esac
done

0 members found this post helpful.

In order to one day "take advantage of Perl's internal functions, globing, or other features of power" I am going to have to learn the language first- which means using it, even for the mundane. Thanks for the input though.