Languages/shell/find

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(Finding files containing a string)
 
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== Removing empty directories ==
 
== Removing empty directories ==
 
find . -type d -empty -print -delete
 
find . -type d -empty -print -delete
 +
 +
= Traps =
 +
== find: missing argument to `-exec' ==
 +
* The <code>-exec</code> command must be terminated by " \;", so the "\;" is missing or the space.

Latest revision as of 11:11, 17 February 2017

Contents

The find command

This command can be used to find files (or directories) recursively.

Finding all files and directories starting from the current directory

find .
Will display all files and directories below the current directory.

Finding all files and directories in a directory

find /etc
Will display all files and directories below /etc.

Finding all files and directories in many directory

find /etc /home
Will display all files and directories below /etc and /home (in that order).

Finding only files in a directory

find /etc -type f
Will display all files (no directories) below /etc.

Finding files with a suffix

find /etc -type f -name "*.conf" Will find all files with name ending by .conf below /etc.

  • Warning: Don't forget the double quotes (") around the file name
  • Warning: find is case sensitive, if you also want files with "*.Conf", use the -iname

Finding files containing a string

find . -type f -exec grep -q "heivs/error\.h" {} \; -print
Will find all files containing heivs/error.h

  • The -exec command will execute grep on every file found by file, and evaluates it's return value.
  • The -print command is necessary to display the file that match the -exec command.
  • The {} is the filename given by find to grep.
  • The \; is the end of the -exec command.
  • Warning there is always a space before \;
  • Warning grep uses regular expressions for matching, so the dot (.) must be escaped

Editing files containing a string

EDITOR=vi find . -type f -exec grep -q "heivs/error\.h" {} \; -exec $EDITOR {} \;

  • Warning Set $EDITOR to your preferred editor

Finding files with any of 2 suffixes

find . -type f -name "*.h" -o -name "*.c"

  • The -o parameter means OR.

Removing empty directories

find . -type d -empty -print -delete

Traps

find: missing argument to `-exec'

  • The -exec command must be terminated by " \;", so the "\;" is missing or the space.
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