bash unable to delete files in array loop

Question

I'm using find to generate a list of old backups, compressed tars, into a file, then reading that file into while loop. I out put the list to a log and screen, both looking correct.

echo $x works fine; /vol4/backups/forms_02_24_2024.tar.gz

But "rm $x" doesn't work, because it's receiving changed line below;

rm: cannot remove '(arr+=(/vol4/backups/forms_02_24_2024.tar.gz))' :No such file or directory

arr()
while read line; do
   x="(arr+=("$line"))"
   echo $x
   rm $x
done < ./old_backups.txt

Tried using cut and sed to modify the line, but I still didn't get what rm needed, which is simply the path to each old file. But rm is still no getting the correct file names.

x is just a string, not an array, so the += is only a literal, not adding anything. Why can't you just rm $line? — OneCricketeer
– OneCricketeer, Commented Mar 14, 2024 at 4:37
The error message tells you where the problem lies. The path you are trying to remove is (arr+=(/vol4/backups/forms_02_24_2024.tar.gz)). Do you not realize that is from the third line of your program? Why do you even have a arr() array since yo¨don't use it? Just rm "$line". — Kurtis Rader
– Kurtis Rader, Commented Mar 14, 2024 at 6:01
(look into readarray instead of a loop to populate an array with the lines of a file) — Shawn
– Shawn, Commented Mar 14, 2024 at 6:40
The output from the echo command you post here, does not fit the error message from the rm command. I don't believe that you posted this information correctly. Provide a screenshot of what happens when you run your script. — user1934428
– user1934428, Commented Mar 14, 2024 at 8:17

Diego Torres Milano · Accepted Answer · 2024-03-14 05:34:35Z

0

If you want to remove all the files listed in old_backups.txt:

xargs -t rm < ./old_backups.txt

answered Mar 14, 2024 at 5:34

Diego Torres Milano

69.9k9 gold badges116 silver badges145 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

Comments

Cloudlady · Accepted Answer · 2024-03-14 22:28:48Z

0

I assume you have a reason for wanting an array with the list of all the files that were deleted. If so, does this solve your problem:

arr=()
while read line; do
   arr+=($line)
   echo $line
   rm $line
done < ./old_backups.txt
echo "The following files were deleted: ${arr[*]}."

Obviously, the last line was more of an example of how you could use the arr array.

answered Mar 14, 2024 at 22:28

Cloudlady

8481 silver badge7 bronze badges

Comments

Deepak D · Accepted Answer · 2024-03-17 14:18:39Z

-1

Before rm, we can check for the file's existence. As a one-liner:

while read line; do [ -f ${line} ] && rm ${line}; done < ./old_backups.txt

Here, [ -f ${line} ] check if file exists, and if and only if, the next instruction (rm ${line}) executes as enforced by the && operator.

edited Mar 17, 2024 at 14:18

answered Mar 14, 2024 at 4:49

Deepak D

3023 silver badges15 bronze badges

3 Comments

user23562505 Over a year ago

The file itself already exists, it's shown in the echo display and log, the issue is that additional symbols are added once that file and path are fed to rm. But thank you,

user23562505 Over a year ago

Yes, that worked like a charm, but any chance you can direct me to any white paper on why. On first glance, the likes look identical, so I'm missing the way? Thank you again, but if you don't mind, the why.

Deepak D Over a year ago

@user23562505, all did is add a simple if check on the file. Updated the answer with references. If you are a novice in shell scripting, bash cookbook is a great book. (Please mark the answer as accepted, if it helped)

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

bash unable to delete files in array loop

3 Answers 3

Comments

Comments

3 Comments

Your Answer

Linked

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

3 Answers 3

Comments

Comments

3 Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Linked

Related