Help with a shell script that’s not moving files?

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Level 5

4,475 points

Help with a shell script that’s not moving files?

I'm hoping someone can help me solve a Shell Script problem I have. The Shell Script should move a number of files to specific folders based on what it finds in the filenames.

I've managed to cobble something together but I can't get it to move any files.

Here is the folder structure:

Desktop > testing > Source

Desktop > testing > client name here_Logo set > Black > CMYK

And here are some sample filenames in the Source folder:

client name here_black_CMYK.eps

client name here_black_CMYK.jpg

client name here_black_CMYK.png

client name here_black_RGB.eps

client name here_black_RGB.jpg

client name here_black_RGB.png

This is my code:

kmVAR="client name here"
theSet=${kmVAR// /\\ }
Dst_FolderEnd="_Logo\ set"
Black="/Black"
CMYK="/CMYK"

Src_Folder=~/Desktop/testing/Source/
Dst_Folder=~/Desktop/testing/

Dst_blackCMYK=$Dst_Folder$theSet$Dst_FolderEnd$Black$CMYK

cd $Src_Folder

for file in *;do
  if [[ "$file" == *"$theSet"* && "$file" == *"black_CMYK"* && "$file" != *"ai"* ]];then
    mv "$file" "$Dst_blackCMYK"
  fi
done

If anyone can help, that would be awesome. Many thanks.

Posted on Aug 22, 2022 1:54 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Camelot

Level 9

58,299 points

Aug 22, 2022 3:52 PM in response to JustinR

short version: filename globbing in the shell with spaces in file names is a nightmare.

As written, the script works if you eliminate the line:

theSet=${kmVAR// /\\ }

and simply replace it with

theSet=$kmVAR

in other words, don't try to escape the spaces... Since you're using quoted strings you don't necessarily need to escape the spaces - as it stands, the script is looking for a file with the literal file name 'client\ name\ here" (including the backslashes in the filename), which is why the if[] statement never passes.

Now, there may be other conditions where you have something other than 'client name here' in the filename, so there may be other things that come to a head, but making that change (and getting rid of the corresponding \ in the Dst_FolderEnd variable) seems to get the script working for me.

(I should also mention the script has no check to make sure the /Black/CMYK/ directory exists for the given $kmVAR. This will also cause an error in the mv command.)

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Answer 2

JustinR Author

Level 5

4,475 points

Aug 23, 2022 5:31 AM in response to Camelot

Thanks ever so much, Camelot. That was driving me crazy!

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Help with a shell script that’s not moving files?

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