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[Validate] Script to remove files olderthan X days

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# 1  
Old 09-17-2012
[Validate] Script to remove files olderthan X days
Hi,

I have written a small shell script to remove the files olderthan X days (say 30). But I not sure how it acts on the filesystem, as I am using rm.

Code:
if [ $# -ne 2 ]
then
  echo "##############################################"
  echo "Invalid no .of arguments\n"
  echo "Usage:\n$0 PATH No_of_days_older"
  echo "###############################################"
  exit 1
fi;
path=$1
days=$2
find $path -type f -mtime +$days | xargs rm
exit

Can someone please let me know is it valid and how it behaves when it runs from crontab.
The main intension is to remove the files in a purticular directory which are older than X days. ( X is passed as an argument.)

Thanks.
# 2  
Old 09-17-2012
Code:
find $path -type f -mtime +$days -exec rm -f {} \;

in the crontab, ex. every day at night 03:10
Code:
10 3 * * * /some/path/myscript  somepath 30 >> /some/path/mylog.log 2>&1

# 3  
Old 09-17-2012
Replace "rm" by "echo" and put all the files found that way into a logfile. This way you can test as much as you want. Once you are satisfied with the results replace "echo" by "rm" again.

Don't forget to set an environment if you plan to use the script with cron. You might fall for "Cron Problem Number One" otherwise.
I hope this helps.

bakunin
# 4  
Old 09-17-2012
Quote:
Originally Posted by kshji
Code:
find $path -type f -mtime +$days -exec rm -f {} \;

in the crontab, ex. every day at night 03:10
Code:
10 3 * * * /some/path/myscript  somepath 30 >> /some/path/mylog.log 2>&1

Actually my question is not about scheduling in cron. But how it behave on the filesystem. I am very much afraid of rm command. Smilie

I think the script which I posted will remove the files recursively from the path and anyother findings like this ?
# 5  
Old 09-17-2012
Why not try the command with echo instead of rm to see if it would delete more than intended?
# 6  
Old 09-17-2012
Quote:
Originally Posted by Corona688
Why not try the command with echo instead of rm to see if it would delete more than intended?
Yes I tried.
Code:
find $path -type f -mtime +$days

It displayed the files, also recursively.
# 7  
Old 09-17-2012
What's your system? On Linux, you could use -maxdepth 1 with find to prevent it leaving the current folder.
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