topic Re: Shell script: how to check whether a directory is empty? in Operating System - HP-UX

Shell script: how to check whether a directory is empty?

cybermilky — Fri, 18 Oct 2002 14:21:46 GMT

I have a problem on creating a if statement as below. It is suppose to read the source directory and destination directory from the user, then move everything from the source to the destination. If the source is empty, it will stop to move files. How do I check whether a directory is empty?
--------------
#!/bin/sh
echo "Enter source directory: \c"
read dir1
echo "Enter destination directory: \c"
read dir2
pth=$PWD
cd "$dir1"
if [ ??? ] #Problem: How to do the checking here?
then
echo "no files in directory"
else
mv * "$pth"/"$dir2"
echo "Files transfered!"
fi
--------------
How do I do the checking of whether the directory is empty or not?

Re: Shell script: how to check whether a directory is empty?

A. Clay Stephenson — Fri, 18 Oct 2002 14:26:08 GMT

How about something as trivial as:

NFILES=$(ls ${dir1} | wc -l)
if [[ ${NFILES} -eq 0 ]]
then
echo "${dir1} is empty".
fi

You might also add some checking to make sure that ${dir1} exists and is a directory.

Re: Shell script: how to check whether a directory is empty?

Robin Wakefield — Fri, 18 Oct 2002 14:34:32 GMT

You might want to check for hidden files too, so change the ls to:

ls -a ${dir1}| grep -v -e ^.$ -e ^..$ |wc -l

Rgds, Robin

Re: Shell script: how to check whether a directory is empty?

John Meissner — Fri, 18 Oct 2002 18:39:32 GMT

empty=$(ls -a | grep -v "." |
grep -v ".." | wc -l)
#!/bin/sh
echo "Enter source directory: \c"
read dir1
echo "Enter destination directory: \c"
read dir2
pth=$PWD
cd $dir1
if [ $empty = "0" ]
then
echo "directory is empty"
else
mv * "$pth"/"$dir2"
echo "Files transfered!"
fi

Re: Shell script: how to check whether a directory is empty?

John Meissner — Fri, 18 Oct 2002 18:40:53 GMT

sorry the above post looks funny - i pasted from my term window and it wrapped lines... from the pipe on the first line just continue with what's on the second line....

Re: Shell script: how to check whether a directory is empty?

John Meissner — Tue, 22 Oct 2002 12:16:14 GMT

Not to be the point police - but you'll get more responses in the future if you assign points to usefull replies you recieve here.