Bash Script - Find File by User Input

Question

I'm trying to compile a very simple bash script that will do the following actions (the script I have so far doesn't seem to function at all so I won't waste time putting this up for you to look at)

I need it to find files by their names. I need the script to take the user input and search the .waste directory for a match, should the folder be empty i'd need to echo out "No match was found because the folder is empty!", and just normally failing to find a match a simple "No match found."

I have defined: target=/home/user/bin/.waste

Andy · Accepted Answer · 2013-12-08 20:18:45Z

1

You can use the built in find command to do this

find /path/to/your/.waste -name 'filename.*' -print

Alternatively, you can set this as a function in your .bash_profile

searchwaste() {
  find /path/to/your/.waste -name "$1" -print
}

Note that there are quotes around the $1. This will allow you to do file globbing.

searchwaste "*.txt"

The above command would search your .waste directory for any .txt files

answered Dec 8, 2013 at 20:18

Andy♦

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Syler Over a year ago

I haven't touched globbing before, in fact I only learned of the concept today, will I need to do it for this script to work or am I fine without it? I'd have no idea what to do heh

Maciej Sz · Accepted Answer · 2013-12-08 20:41:45Z

0

Here you go, pretty straightforward script:

#!/usr/bin/env bash

target=/home/user/bin/.waste

if [ ! "$(ls -A $target)" ]; then
    echo -e "Directory $target is empty"
    exit 0
fi

found=0
while read line; do
    found=$[found+1]
    echo -e "Found: $line"
done < <(find "$target" -iname "*$1*" )

if [[ "$found" == "0" ]]; then
    echo -e "No match for '$1'"
else
    echo -e "Total: $found elements"
fi

Btw. in *nix world there are not folders, but there are directories :)

answered Dec 8, 2013 at 20:41

Maciej Sz

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Comments

Jair López · Accepted Answer · 2013-12-08 20:59:18Z

0

This is a solution.

#!/bin/bash

target="/home/user/bin/.waste"

read name

output=$( find "$target" -name "$name" 2> /dev/null )

if [[ -n "$output" ]]; then
    echo "$output"
else
    echo "No match found"
fi

answered Dec 8, 2013 at 20:59

Jair López

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