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How to bypass rm command when there are no files to delete?

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Top Forums Shell Programming and Scripting How to bypass rm command when there are no files to delete?
# 1  
Old 01-17-2018
Tools How to bypass rm command when there are no files to delete?
Hi,

Below command works fine when we have other files apart from hello.txt
Code:
ls | ggrep -v hello* | xargs rm -rf

But, if there is only one file i.e hello.txt the rm command does not find anything to delete and the script hangs.

While there could be trivial ways to check using if conditions if there are other files than hello* only then trigger the rm command else do not.

I was looking for a better solution if anyone can suggest.
# 2  
Old 01-17-2018
Sure the ggrep command exists on your system (which, btw, you fail to mention)?

Any error message? On my system(s), rm with no files to remove doesn't hang but complains:
Code:
rm: missing operand
Try 'rm --help' for more information.

or
Code:
usage: rm [-f | -i] [-dIPRrvW] file ...
       unlink file

# 3  
Old 01-17-2018
Quote:
Originally Posted by mohtashims
Hi,

Below command works fine when we have other files apart from hello.txt
Code:
ls | ggrep -v hello* | xargs rm -rf

But, if there is only one file i.e hello.txt the rm command does not find anything to delete and the script hangs.

While there could be trivial ways to check using if conditions if there are other files than hello* only then trigger the rm command else do not.

I was looking for a better solution if anyone can suggest.
In
Code:
ls | ggrep -v hello* | xargs rm -rf

The ggrep command has an incorrect syntax. I suggest you try:
Code:
ggrep -v '^hello'

Also, better try using rm instead of rm -rf
# 4  
Old 01-18-2018
Depending on your version of xargs you may have the --no-run-if-empty GNU extension option available to you:

Code:
ls | ggrep -v hello* | xargs --no-run-if-empty rm -rf

# 5  
Old 01-18-2018
I also would be interested to know what operating system you're using. I don't see anything in the standards that would allow xargs to invoke commands after it has hit EOF on its standard input. Therefore, there shouldn't be any need for a --no-run-if-empty option since that should be the default behavior. On macOS version 10.13.2 with a BSD-based xargs utility, the following command when run in a directory where there is no filename containing the string NotFound:
Code:
ls | grep NotFound | xargs printf '"%s"\n'

returns a prompt for the next command almost immediately after invoking it with no output produced other than the prompt for the next command from my login shell.
# 6  
Old 01-18-2018
On Fedora 27 (and cygwin), both using xargs (GNU findutils) 4.6.0

I get the following result:

Code:
$ xargs echo "test" < /dev/null
test
$ xargs --no-run-if-empty echo "test" < /dev/null
$


Manual indicates it runs one or more times:

Code:
DESCRIPTION
       This manual page documents the GNU version of xargs.  xargs reads items
       from  the  standard  input, delimited by blanks (which can be protected
       with double or single quotes or a backslash) or newlines, and  executes
       the  command (default is /bin/echo) one or more times with any initial-
       arguments followed by items read from standard input.  Blank  lines  on
       the standard input are ignored.

# 7  
Old 01-19-2018
Is it too simple to suggest:-

Code:
if [ $(ls | ggrep -v "^Hello" | wc -l) -gt 0 ]
then
   ls | ggrep -v "^Hello" | xargs echo            # ....or whatever
fi


It might be a little inefficient because it reads the directory twice, but I'm hoping that there are not many files to list out. Just a thought.

Robin
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