Re: Use `find' "-printf" predicate inside bash script

[Eli Schwartz]

On 10/18/21 4:24 PM, JB wrote:
> This `find' command works on the command line:
> 
>         find /tmp/ -type f -mtime -1 -delete -printf "deleted file: %f\n"
> 
> But it doesn't work inside this script:
> 
>         #!/bin/bash
>         args_find='-type f -mtime -1 -delete -printf "deleted file: %f\n"'
>         find /tmp/ $args_find


So... it doesn't work when you do something completely different that
you didn't do on the command line, then?

$ set -x
$ find . $args_find
+ find . -type f -mtime -1 -delete -printf '"deleted' file: '%f\n"'

Note how the " chars are treated as text, not as bash quotes.


> It only works when written like this:
> 
>         #!/bin/bash
>         args_find="-type f -mtime -1 -delete -printf"
>         args_print="deleted file: %f\n"
>         find /tmp/ $args_find "$args_print"
> 
> I've tried using arrays with both "@" and "*", but same result.
> I tried escaping the double-quotes, but `find' complains:
>         warning: unrecognized escape `\"'
>         paths must precede expression: `file'
> 
> What's the proper way to do this inside a variable which doesn't trip up 
> "-printf"?


It looks like you expected $args_find to be treated as content which is
run through "eval". Incidentally, please do NOT use eval.

Instead, use arrays:


args_find=(-type f -mtime -1 -delete -printf "deleted file: %f\n")

find /tmp/ "${args_find[@]}"


-- 
Eli Schwartz
Arch Linux Bug Wrangler and Trusted User

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