How to search for a file without using find or which?


 
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# 1  
Old 10-01-2010
Question How to search for a file without using find or which?

Hello, I am a newbie to Unix shell script writing. I have to write a Korn or Bash shell script to search for a file, where some file named <filename> is given at the prompt.

So let's say the script command will be called locate_file. Then one could enter

locate_file filename.


The script locate_file must find filename somewhere in some absolute PATH like:
 
Root/users/your_groups_directory/your_directory/your_home_name.
 
The script locate_file must start at Root. Each of these, Root, users, your_groups_directory, etc., are directories in the PATH. Each of them might have subdirectories and any of these subdirectories still might have more subdirectories, so filename could be anywhere within some vast hierarchial tree of directories and subdirectories.

Question: HOW do I get locate_file to search for filename in every directory on the PATH and also through every subdirectory that might be in some directory (like subdirectories in your_groups_directory and in your_directory), without using the commands "find" or "which"? It is imperative it be written without using either these two commands "find" or "which".

Remember I am a newbie, so could someone answer my question without posting a lot of bewildering shell code? Thanks.
# 2  
Old 10-01-2010
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