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Deleting multiple directories inside multiple directories

 
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# 1  
Old 12-20-2011
Deleting multiple directories inside multiple directories
Hi,
Very unfamiliar with unix/linux stuff. Our admin is on vacation so, need help very quickly.

I have directories (eg 40001, 40002, etc) that each have one subdirectory (01).
Each subdir 01 has multiple subdirs (001, 002, 003, etc). They are same in each dir.

I need to keep the top and second level (eg, /40001/01), but delete the 001, 003, 004, etc.

What is the quickest way to do this? I have more than a hundred. I did about 20 individually - not fun!

Thank you immensely ahead of time.
# 2  
Old 12-20-2011
Try this first (it will prompt you for confirmation before deleting each folder):

Code:
find /top_directory -type d -mindepth 3 -ok rm -rf {} \;

Then this (you won't be prompted for anything):

Code:
find /top_directory -type d -mindepth 3 -exec rm -rf {} \;

# 3  
Old 12-20-2011
Thank you for the quick response.
I tried the first one.
It seemed to do something. But did not see the results. The directories are still there.
So, here is another explanation of the request:

I cd to a directory ksk
in there, there are directories - 40001, 40005, 60012, etc (117 of them)
in each of the above there is a directory 01
in each 01 there are directories 001, 002, etc.

I need to keep the 40001/01 structure.
I need to delete all of 001's - 00x BUT I need to keep 002's.

So, that is the time consuming part.. Going in to each and deleted everything around 002, and then coming out and into the next.

Sorry to be such a novice.

Thanks,
# 4  
Old 12-20-2011
verdepollo gave you the right answer based on what you told us. Perhaps you didn't understand that it was prompting you to say "y" to delete each file? Now that you've added a wrinkle to things, with 002, there are two additions we need to make to his command.

cd into your ksk directory, then run:
Code:
find -mindepth 3 -maxdepth 3 -type d -not -name 002

This should give you a list of all the directories that will be deleted (only the x/01/xxx dirs, excluding x/01/002). Assuming that looks good to you, run it again, but tack the delete code on to the end, like so:
Code:
find -mindepth 3 -maxdepth 3 -type d -not -name 002 -exec rm -rf {} \;

# 5  
Old 12-21-2011
Thank you for the reply and sorry for the confusion - i am confused myself when it comes to unix/linux.

I entered the first command got the following response::
Code:
find: illegal option --m
find: illegal option --i
find: illegal option --n
find: illegal option --e
find: illegal option --p
find: illegal option --t
find: illegal option --h
find: 3: no such file or directory

(I wonder where the 'd' went from 'mindepth')

i have triple checked what i typed and tried it twice.

thanks!
Last edited by radoulov; 12-21-2011 at 12:41 PM.. Reason: Code tags!
# 6  
Old 12-21-2011
I suppose knowing your OS and version could help here... type:
Code:
n12:/home/vbe $ what /usr/bin/find
/usr/bin/find:
        61      1.16  src/bos/usr/ccs/lib/libc/__threads_init.c, libcthrd, bos61B, b2007_33A0 8/2/07 13:09:21
        40        1.83.2.60  src/bos/usr/bin/find/find.c, cmdscan, bos61F, 0902A_61F 12/17/08 11:36:00

# 7  
Old 12-21-2011
thank you, folks.
while waiting, in continued w/ my manual long way, and am done.
so, perhaps next time i run into this type of issue, i will just take a vacation too.. hehe..

thanks again for taking the time help.
 
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