Create a script to delete certain files inside a folder

The following Bash script hardcodes your TVDOWNLOADS folder as an assumption that it is in your home directory. If it is not, modify the path accordingly. It changes directory into the TVDOWNLOADS folder, and removes everything but .mp4 files. I set it up to interactively (-i) prompt you to delete the non-mp4 files. I tested this script on OS X 10.11.3 in the default Bash shell.

#!/bin/bash

#

TVD="$HOME/TVDOWNLOADS"

cd "${TVD}"

shopt -s extglob

# remove every file that is not an .mp4

rm -i !(*.mp4)

shopt -u extglob

exit 0

Make the script executable, and run it.

$ chmod +x tvd.sh

$ ./tvd.sh

Oops…

As an alternative:

tell application "Finder" to delete (files of (choose folder) whose name extension is not ".mp4")

Oops…

Of course, there should be no dot in the extension name:

tell application "Finder" to delete (files of (choose folder) whose name extension is not "mp4")

Sorry… Monday morning, I suppose. Everything goes wrong.

Pierre,

The Finder's name extension does not include the dot in its returned value, so your is not condition is never met, and all files, including the mp4 files are in the selection set, and removed. When I tested your one-liner with the ".mp4", all mp4 files were included in the result.

Otherwise, I agree that it is a good alternative to what I provided.

[Edit: I see that you have fixed it while I was writing this. 😉 . Perhaps time to upgrade your coffee?]

Anyway, I appreciate your comment. Have a good day.