UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

Hi I am trying to write a script that will do a test on a file name, and then move files in batches to newly created directories. For now I am testing it by having the script search for a single file. Everything seems to work (the script does create the directories) but can't get the file to actually move! Can anyone tell me what is wrong with the indicated line? Thanks! I am on a MacBook and here is the script:

#!/bin/sh

filecount=1
mkdir $filecount

for FILE in $DSC*
do
if [ $FILE != "test.sh" ]
then
if [ $FILE = "DSC03278.JPG" ]
mv $FILE $filecount #I think my problem is here
else #bumps filecount - will later be used to skip over marker shots
let "filecount=filecount + 1"
#mkdir $filecount
fi
fi
done

What is $DSC?

Code:

for FILE in $DSC*

Perhaps you should remove the $ there?

Code:

for FILE in DSC*

Also

Code:

let "filecount=filecount + 1"

Should be

Code:

let filecount=$filecount+1

In addition, you've missed a "then" on your second "if" statement.

You should also quote $FILE when referring to it in case your filenames contain spaces.

Code:

#!/bin/sh

filecount=1
mkdir $filecount

for FILE in DSC*; do
  if [ "$FILE" = DSC03278.JPG ]; then
    mv "$FILE" $filecount
  else
    let filecount=$filecount+1
    mkdir $filecount
  fi
done

This doesn't really answer your question!

What is a "batch"?

scottn believe it or not - you did fix it! It was sloppy code that was tripping it up.

I am trying to run this for a group of files (the parameters for the IF will soon change once I figure out a bit of python) - so I called it a batch. The current IF was just an easy way to do a proof of concept for the rest of the code.

Out of curiosity: what if I wanted to make the if statement wild? For instance:

Code:

if [ $FILE = "DSC0328*" ]??

I know this is wrong because it will treat * as part of the string, but I can't figure out the right combo.

Thanks again!

You don't really need the "if" at all.

The for-loop will give you all the DSC* files.

Code:

$ touch DSC1 DSC2 BLAH DSC3

$ ls -l

-rw-r--r--  1 scott  staff  0 Dec  5 02:28 BLAH
-rw-r--r--  1 scott  staff  0 Dec  5 02:28 DSC1
-rw-r--r--  1 scott  staff  0 Dec  5 02:28 DSC2
-rw-r--r--  1 scott  staff  0 Dec  5 02:28 DSC3

$ for FILE in DSC*; do
>  echo $FILE
>done


DSC1
DSC2
DSC3

Right! Much newbie thanks!