Bash script copying certain type of file to another location

Question

I was thinking if using a BASH script is possible without manually copying each file that is in this parent directory

 "/Contents/Developer/Platforms/iPhoneOS.platform/Developer/SDKs/iPhoneOS7.0.sdk
/System/Library/PrivateFrameworks"

So in this folder PrivateFrameworks, there are many subfolders and in each subfolder it consists of the file that I would like to copy it out to another location. So the structure of the path looks like this:

-PrivateFrameworks  
     -AccessibilityUI.framework 
        -AccessibilityUI <- copy this
     -AccountSettings.framework
        -AccountSettings <- copy this

I do not want the option of copying the entire content in the folder as there might be cases where the folders contain files which I do not want to copy. So the only way I thought of is to copy by the file extension. However as you can see, the files which I specified for copying does not have an extension(I think?). I am new to bash scripting so I am not familiar if this can be done with it.

John1024 · Accepted Answer · 2014-01-14 08:30:19Z

2

To copy all files in or below the current directory that do not have extensions, use:

find . ! -name '*.*' -exec cp -t /your/destination/dir/ {} +

The find . command looks for all files in or below the current directory. The argument -name '*.*' would restrict that search to files that have extensions. By preceding it with a not (!), however, we get all files that do not have an extension. Then, -exec cp -t /your/destination/dir/ {} + tells find to copy those files to the destination.

To do the above starting in your directory with the long name, use:

find "/Contents/Developer/Platforms/iPhoneOS.platform/Developer/SDKs/iPhoneOS7.0.sdk/System/Library/PrivateFrameworks" ! -name '*.*' -exec cp -t /your/destination/dir/ {} +

UPDATE: The unix tag on this question has been removed and replaced with a OSX tag. That means we can't use the -t option on cp. The workaround is:

find . ! -name '*.*' -exec cp {} /your/destination/dir/ \;

This is less efficient because a new cp process is created for every file moved instead of once for all the files that fit on a command line. But, it will accomplish the same thing.

MORE: There are two variations of the -exec clause of a find command. In the first use above, the clause ended with {} + which tells find to fill up the end of command line with as many file names as will fit on the line.

Since OSX lacks cp -t, however, we have to put the file name in the middle of the command. So, we put {} where we want the file name and then, to signal to find where the end of the exec command is, we add a semicolon. There is a trick, though. Because bash would normally consume the semicolon itself rather than pass it on to find, we have to escape the semicolon with a backslash. That way bash gives it to the find command.

edited Jan 14, 2014 at 8:30

answered Jan 14, 2014 at 6:54

John1024

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9 Comments

user2541163 Over a year ago

hi thanks for your help. But apparently I have the illegal option when i use -t

John1024 Over a year ago

@user2541163 OK. Macs don't have cp -t. See updated answer for workaround.

user2541163 Over a year ago

Hi really appreciate your help here. It works for me :). the explanation also helped me to understand better. Just 1 more question, what is the difference with cp {} and and i notice that the end has been replaced by a '\'

John1024 Over a year ago

@user2541163 I added the explanation for the \;.

user2541163 Over a year ago

hi, just coming back to ask, is there a way to copy the files along with the parent directories they are in?

|

csiu · Accepted Answer · 2014-01-14 07:18:16Z

sh SCRIPT.sh copy-from-directory .extension copy-to-directory

FROM_DIR=$1
EXTENSION=$2
TO_DIR=$3

USAGE="""Usage: sh SCRIPT.sh copy-from-directory .extension copy-to-directory

- EXAMPLE: sh SCRIPT.sh PrivateFrameworks .framework .
- NOTE: 'copy-to-directory' argument is optional
"""

## print usage if less than 2 args
if [[ $# < 2 ]]; then echo "${USAGE}" && exit 1 ; fi

## set copy-to-dir default args
if [[ -z "$TO_DIR" ]] ; then TO_DIR=$PWD ; fi

## DO SOMETHING...
## find directories; find target file; 
## copy target file to copy-to-dir if file exist
find $FROM_DIR -type d | while read DIR ; do
    FILE_TO_COPY=$(echo $DIR | xargs basename | sed "s/$EXTENSION//")

    if [[ -f $DIR/$FILE_TO_COPY ]] ; then
        cp $DIR/$FILE_TO_COPY $TO_DIR
    fi
done

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