How to "cp" or "rm" or "tar" all the files except a certain file?

cqmyg5 · 04-05-2006, 03:54 PM

Hi,

There're many files in a folder:
1.a
2.b
3.c
4.d
.
.
.
999.xyz

I want to cp *.* except one of them, or rm *.* except one of them, or tar *.* except one of them.

Is there any simple command or option could do it?

Thanks!

geeman2.0 · 04-05-2006, 04:06 PM

RTFM!!!!

No really.
From the man page:

Code:

   -X file
   --exclude-from file     Exclude files listed in file.

cqmyg5 · 04-05-2006, 04:58 PM

Thank you!

It only works for 'tar', when I use this:
rm *.* -X aaa
or
rm *.* --exclude-from aaa

it shows:
invalid option -- X
or
unrecognized option '--exclude-from'

I already RTFM of 'cp' and 'rm', no information yet!

mdarby · 04-05-2006, 05:19 PM

Why not use find with the exec option or just move the file you want to keep?

cqmyg5 · 04-05-2006, 05:29 PM

Thanks!

I'll try find with exec option!

Wynd · 04-05-2006, 08:52 PM

Or maybe

Code:

ls | grep -v file | xargs rm

cqmyg5 · 04-05-2006, 10:13 PM

wow!

I'll try it, thanks

tuxdev · 04-07-2006, 03:45 PM

"find <opts> -print0 | xargs -0 <command>" handles newlines in filenames.