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Arg list too long - trying to move some files to a sub directory

  • 06-03-2014 04:10PM
    #1
    ShatterProof
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,763 ✭✭✭


    Have a directory with over 100,000 files in it. I've created a sub directory called archive_2013 and want to put last years data into it. The files have the extension .bkp

    I've tried to use the following command ( 70 days is close enough to start of year)

    find *.bkp -mtime +70 -type f -print | xargs -i{} mv {} /archive_2013

    I keep getting "Arg list too long" , any ideas ?

    I've also tried

    find *.bkp -mtime +70 -type f -print -exec mv "{}" /archive_2013 \;

    but same error.

    Thanks.


Comments

  • #2
    Skrynesaver
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,110 ✭✭✭Skrynesaver 


    find ./ -name \*.bkp -mtime +70 -type f -exec mv {} /archive_2013\;

    You were asking the shell to expand *.bkp as an arg list for the find command


  • #3
    ShatterProof
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,763 ✭✭✭ShatterProof


    Thanks but

    find ./ -name \*.bkp -mtime +70 -type f -exec mv {} /archive_2013\;

    is giving the error "find: incomplete statement" (meant to say this is AIX not sure if it makes a difference)


  • #4
    opus
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,131 ✭✭✭opus


    Is this any use?
    find . -maxdepth 1 -type f -name "*.bkp" -exec mv {} /archive_2013 \;

    Don't have a directory with millions of files to test it.


  • #5
    bonzodog2
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,345 ✭✭✭bonzodog2


    You could move all of them, and move the newer ones back (a smaller list).


  • #6
    niallb
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 2,788 ✭✭✭niallb


    ShatterProof wrote: »
    find *.bkp -mtime +70 -type f -print -exec mv "{}" /archive_2013 \;

    Put single quotes around the name expression and careful with slashes and backslashes. Use -print0 in case there are spaces or weird things in the names.

    find . -name '*.bkp' -mtime +70 -type f -print0 | xargs mv "{}" archive_2013 \;

    AIX can be odd with expansion, and I think I remember single quotes being the magic bullet in a similar situation. Try that and see if you get a different error at least!

    Alternatively, find a smaller subset of files and try for
    mv *201001*.bkp archive_2013
    mv *201202*.bkup archive_2013
    and so on, but better to find the right command!


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