Script: Delete files, subsequently copying files

[ethanh]

Dear Linux Forum Community,

Any help would be greatly appreciated, as I have been trying to put together my own solution for sometime... unsuccessfully!

I would like to occasionally run a script manually once I've logged into my user account on my Ubuntu minimal installation, before I start my Openbox session using "startx" command.

• Firstly I need the script to delete all files and subdirectories in my home directory, except my "documents", "pictures" and ".fresh" directories.

• Then I need the script to copy all of the contents (files & directories), in the folder ".fresh" to my home directory.

I am sure it's obvious as to what I hope to achieve! Essentially a script that allows me to, before starting my openbox session, returning my setup to just how I liked it when I started out configuring openbox and my apps!

Again, thank you so much for your time.

I understand this is a fairly straightforward task, yet I have proven to myself next to useless in writing such an elementary script.

Thank you for your time!

[markcole]

Here is bash scripting guide that will have all you need to get it done.

[konsolebox]

#!/bin/bash

if pushd ~; then
	find -regextype posix-extended -not -regex '\./(documents|pictures|\.fresh)(/.*)?' -exec rm {} \; && \
		mv .fresh/* . || \
			echo 'something went wrong.'
	popd
fi

2nd version:

#!/bin/bash

if pushd ~; then
	if find -type d -regextype posix-extended -not -regex '\./(documents|pictures|\.fresh)(/.*)?' -exec rm -fr {} \;; then
		if find -type f -regextype posix-extended -not -regex '\./(documents|pictures|\.fresh)(/.*)?' -exec rm -f {} \;; then
			if compgen -G '.fresh/*' > /dev/null; then
				mv .fresh/* . || echo 'failed to move files from ./fresh to ~.'
			fi
		else
			echo 'failed to delete files.'
		fi
	else
		echo 'failed to delete directories.'
	fi

	popd
fi

Please backup the files first.