Scripting neophyte needs file manipulation assistance


 
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Old 09-04-2009
Scripting neophyte needs file manipulation assistance

I need to write two shell scripts for an rsync backup solution. The first script will copy all backed up files into a folder named after the original folder, plus a date stamp (so e.g. if the original folder name is 'foo' and is backed up on the 10th of September, then the backup folder will be 'foo0910'.)

The second script will monitor the number of backed up folders created, and will automatically delete the oldest folder after seven are created. Thus, there will always be seven backups, with the oldest always deleted to make room for the newest.

While I know it's a simple task to write both scripts (or even combine them as one), I'm not very good at scripting yet and am looking for a little advice on how best to write the script. These scripts will be running on our rsync server, so I only have the most basic of commands to work with; the commands I have at my disposal are dd, cp, ls, mkdir, pwd, chmod, chgrp, ln, mv, rm, rmdir, touch, tail, groups, id, passwd and quota
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refile(1)						      General Commands Manual							 refile(1)

NAME
refile - file message in other folders (only available within the message handling system, mh) SYNOPSIS
refile [msgs] [+folder] [options] OPTIONS
Refiles the draft message, or the current message in your +drafts folder, if you have one set up. You cannot give a msgs argument when you use this option. Moves a file into a folder. This option takes a file from its directory and places it in the named folder, as the next message in the folder. The file must be formatted as a legal mail message. This means that the message must have the minimum header fields separated from the body of the message by a blank line or a line of dashes. Prints a list of the valid options to this command. Keeps a copy of the message in the source folder. Normally, refile removes the messages from the original folder when it refiles them. The -link option keeps a copy in the original folder, as well as filing a copy in the new folder. Preserves the number of a message in the new folder. Normally, when a message is refiled in to another folder, it is set to the next available number in that folder. The -preserve option keeps the number of the message the same in the new folder as it had been in the old. You cannot have two messages with the same number in one folder, so you should use this option with care. Specifies the source folder to take messages from. Normally, messages are refiled from the current folder into another folder. However, you can take mes- sages from a different folder by using the -src +folder option to specify the alternative source folder. DESCRIPTION
Use the refile command to move the specified message from the current folder to another folder. You can refile messages in more than one folder by giving multiple folder names as arguments. If you do not specify a message, the current message is refiled. You can refile a message other than the current message by giving its num- ber as a msgs argument. You can also refile more than one message at a time by specifying more than one message number, or a range of mes- sage numbers, or a message sequence. See mark(1) for more information on sequences. The current folder remains the same unless the -src option is specified; in that case, the source folder becomes current. Normally, the last message specified becomes the current message. However, if the -link option is used, the current message is not changed. If the Previous-Sequence: entry is set in the file, in addition to defining the named sequences from the source folder, refile will also define those sequences for the destination folders. See mh_profile(4) for information concerning the previous sequence. PROFILE COMPONENTS
Path: To determine your Mail directory Folder-Protect: To set protections when creating a new folder rmmproc: Program to delete the message EXAMPLES
The following example refiles messages 3 and 5 in the folder +records: % refile 3 5 +records The next example files the current message into two folders: % refile +jones +map The next example takes message 13 in the current folder and refiles it in the +test folder. The mes- sage remains in the current folder as well as appearing in the +test folder. % refile -link 13 +test The next example takes a message from the folder +test when it is not the current folder, and places it in the folder +outbox: % refile 3 -src +test +outbox FILES
The user profile. SEE ALSO
folder(1), mark(1), mh_profile(4) refile(1)