Bash script to create folders from file names

[r34ch]

Hey everyone, newbie at the site.

Been using Ubuntu on and off for a year now. While I usually take a hands on approach to learning this stuff, my new external HD has just arrived and I want to back everything up in a semi organised fashion asap.


I want to create a script to read the contents of a directory and create folders in that directory from the named files within and then move the corresponding files to their new folder.
i.e.

Desktop/Folder 1
file 1.doc
file 2.xls

would become

Desktop/Folder 1/file 1/
file 1.doc
Desktop/Folder 1/file 2/
file 2.xls

I tried this in Windows and the script collapsed when it ran into files named with spaces i.e "file 1.doc" creating a folder "file" and obviously not moving the corresponding file.

I tried the search function in the forums and of course google, but surprisingly for such a trivial (or so I thought) task I found very little.

Can anyone help me?

Cheers,
r34ch

[sanderd17]

something like this:

for file in $( ls /home/user/Desktop/Folder ) 
do
    mkdir "/home/user/Desktop/Folder/${file%.*}"
    mv "/home/user/Desktop/Folder/$file" "/home/user/Desktop/Folder/${file%.*}/$file"
done

I did not test this. So tell me if you get errors, and try it on a test directory first.

[nothingspecial]

something like this:

for file in $( ls /home/user/Desktop/Folder ) 
do
    mkdir "/home/user/Desktop/Folder/${file%.*}"
    mv "/home/user/Desktop/Folder/$file" "/home/user/Desktop/Folder/${file%.*}/$file"
done

I did not test this. So tell me if you get errors, and try it on a test directory first.

Well, the first line is Bash Pitfall no 1

see here

http://mywiki.wooledge.org/BashPitfalls

I'll leave sisco311 to explain the rest when he gets here later because no doubt I'll get it wrong anyway.

[TeoBigusGeekus]

It won't be the first time Sisco makes me look like a total hobgoblin so I'll give it a go:

#!/bin/bash
find . -type f ! -name "*script*" | while read file;
do
    f=$(basename "$file")
    f1=${f%.*}
    mkdir "$f1"
    mv "$f" "$f1"
done 

Name is as script, put it in the folder with the files you want moved, make it executable

chmod +x script

and run it

./script

[TeoBigusGeekus]

It won't be the first time Sisco makes me look like a total hobgoblin...

[r34ch]

I'll give it a go

Seems to work perfectly, thanks!

[r34ch]

Ok thanks everyone, you've now wet my whistle.

I want to learn a bit more on bash scripting and make a script myself that replaces "."s in a file name with spaces, except the last "." for the extension.

Where is a good site to start and what are a good few terms to google?

Cheers,
r34ch

[nothingspecial]

This is the best place to start.

[AlexOnVinyl]

Is there anyway to make this compatible with Nautilus scripts - for an simple right-click and run?

I was looking for a script just like this for a while the only part that irritates me is I can't find one that will work with Nautilus.

ex: ~/.gnome2/nautilus-scripts

- then I can execute it by right clicking the file I want a directory made after.

PS. Sorry for reviving an old thread. Just looking for my answer and then I'll leave it to rest.

[codemaniac]

This is the best place to start.

I would also like to add abs guide to the list .A bit tough of a nut for a beginner though , still it has a array of tips and tricks in its bag .

http://tldp.org/LDP/abs/html/