In Linux, how to copy all the files not starting with a given string?

Question

I tried with the following command:

cp src_folder/[!String]* dest_folder

However, this command will copy all the files that don't start with any of the characters 'S','t','r','i','n','g' instead of copying files that don't start with "String".

Similar question here: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/216995 — Shawn Chin, Jan 12 '11 at 15:01

score 15 · Accepted Answer · answered Jan 12 '11 at 15:18

A variation on Konrad answer, using cp option -t to specify target directory simplifies the last command. It creates a single cp process to copy all the files.

ls src_folder | grep -v '^String' | xargs cp -t dest_folder

list all files in src_folder
filter out all those that start with String
copy all remaining files to dest_dir

score 5 · Answer 2 · answered Jan 12 '11 at 14:54

5

In bash:

shopt -s extglob
cp src_folder/!(String*) dest_folder

answered Jan 12 '11 at 14:54

Ignacio Vazquez-Abrams

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@Joel: Enables extended globbing in bash. – Ignacio Vazquez-Abrams Jan 12 '11 at 15:39

score 3 · Answer 3 · answered Jan 12 '11 at 14:29

3

ls src_folder | grep -v '^String' | xargs -J % -n1 cp % dest_folder

This will

list all files in src_folder
filter out all those that start with String (so that the rest remains)
Invoke the cp command
- once for each of those files (-n1 says to call cp for each of them separately)
- using, as its arguments, % dest_folder, where % is replaced by the actual file name.

answered Jan 12 '11 at 14:29

Konrad Rudolph

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My `xargs` (Debian Testing) doesn't have a `-J` option. Did you mean `-I`? – maxelost Jan 12 '11 at 16:14
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@maxelost: I’m using the BSD version from OS X. Option `-I` does something else. It sucks that all distributions have different switches on their POSIX tools. :-( So much for standardization. – Konrad Rudolph Jan 12 '11 at 16:20

TyrantWave · Answer 4 · 2011-01-12T15:04:30.873

1

cp src_folder/!(String*) dest_folder

Try that ~ Chris

edited Jan 12 '11 at 15:04

answered Jan 12 '11 at 14:32

TyrantWave

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I get an error message: syntax error near unexpected token `(' – mstaniloiu Jan 12 '11 at 14:37
For some reason that one works for me. Try the command that Ignacio posted (Adjusted in my answer above - you don't need the shopt -s extglob) – TyrantWave Jan 12 '11 at 15:04

In Linux, how to copy all the files not starting with a given string?

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