How to create multiple directories using shell script

Question

I am new to shell script, I am trying to create multiple directories using script at specific locations.i have no idea about that, i am giving here what i have tried so far ,

directory_name="/home/usw9bls7/lib1"

if [ -d $directory_name ]
then
echo "Directory already exists"
else
mkdir $directory_name
fi

I have to create directory at locations
"/home/usw9bls7/config1"
"/home/usw9bls7/DNQ/lib1"
"/home/usw9bls7/DNQ/config1"

Plesae help

use '-p' as option to `mkdir` to create missing intermediate directories. — Jean-Baptiste Yunès, Jun 29 '17 at 14:54
Possible duplicate of [How to create nonexistent subdirectories recursively using Bash?](https://stackoverflow.com/q/1731767/608639) — jww, Jun 29 '17 at 20:43
Hi Mandrek, consider using metacharacters and --parents of mkdir to simplify things, I've provided you an example, hope it helps to your purpose. — Miguel Ortiz, Jun 29 '17 at 23:25

Miguel Ortiz · Answer 1 · 2017-06-29T23:36:26.687

Don't use "if" statements for such simple task, use "-p, --parents" of mkdir to create several directories that doesn't exist and ignore existing ones.

Combine that capability using metacharacters to expand subfolders creations.

In this example I've created the next structure with one command:

-/home
   |---/usw9bls7
          |------- DNQ
                     |---- lib1
                     |---- config1

user@DESKTOP-RR909JI ~
$ mkdir -p /home/usw9bls7/DNQ/{lib1,config1}

user@DESKTOP-RR909JI ~
$ ls -ltr /home/usw9bls7/DNQ/
total 0
drwxr-xr-x+ 1 user user 0 jun. 29 20:17 lib1
drwxr-xr-x+ 1 user user 0 jun. 29 20:17 config1

None of these directories existed before in my environment (except for /home). Anyway if you want to create the script try simplifying things with this.

You didn't have a `/home` folder? *Gasp* – jpaugh Jun 29 '17 at 23:29 — jpaugh, Jun 29 '17 at 23:29

P.... · Answer 2 · 2017-06-29T14:49:12.950

0

Using brace expansion if you use bash:

directory_name="/home/usw9bls7/lib1"

if [ -d "$directory_name" ];then
   echo "Directory already exists"
else
    mkdir -p  /home/usw9bls7/{config1,DNQ/lib1,DNQ/config1}/"$directory_name"
fi

Example: with echo command.

echo /home/usw9bls7/{config1,DNQ/lib1,DNQ/config1}
/home/usw9bls7/config1 /home/usw9bls7/DNQ/lib1 /home/usw9bls7/DNQ/config1

edited Jun 29 '17 at 14:49

answered Jun 29 '17 at 14:39

P....

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getting : command not found ./test.sh: line 8: syntax error near unexpected token `fi' ./test.sh: line 8: `fi' – Mandrek Jun 29 '17 at 14:41
Your line endings may be corrupted. – ImAtWar Jun 29 '17 at 14:47
give output of `echo $SHELL` and try adding `#!/bin/bash` to first line of your script. – P.... Jun 29 '17 at 14:48
@PS now giving -bash: ./test.sh: /bin/ksh^M: bad interpreter: No such file or directory – Mandrek Jun 29 '17 at 15:01

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Jun 29 '17 at 22:46

Portable POSIX solution (works in /bin/ksh, /bin/sh, and /bin/bash)

#!/bin/sh
parent_directory="/home/usw9bls7/lib1"

for directory_name in config1 DNQ/lib1 DNQ/config1
do
  if [ -d "$parent_directory/$directory_name" ]
  then
    echo "Directory already exists"
  else
    mkdir -p "$parent_directory/$directory_name"
  fi
done

This merely loops over your given names and then makes them. I added the -p option so that it will silently create missing parents like DNQ as needed.

Note that if these exist as files rather than directories, you'll get errors from mkdir. At least you'll get something.

score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Jun 29 '17 at 23:47

Pass them all to mkdir -p:

mkdir -p \
"/home/usw9bls7/config1" \
"/home/usw9bls7/DNQ/lib1" \
"/home/usw9bls7/DNQ/config1"

If you're super performance-conscious, you can test them for existence from the shell first. Here's what I'm doing in my shell lib:

all_eh()
{
    local predic a; predic=$1; shift
    for a; do
        $predic "$a" || return 1
    done
}
mkdir_p() { all_eh 'test -d' "$@" || mkdir -p "$@"; }

This is faster if all the directories exist because test (or [ ) is a shell builtin (in practically all shells) and so doesn't cost you the usual 1-2ms fork/exec overhead.

How to create multiple directories using shell script

4 Answers4