Check if multiple filename consist a specific string

Question

I am new to shell scripting and I can't figure it out on how to check the filenames if it has a specific string.

For example, the filenames are in xyz.abc.d.CSV format. How can I check if the filename contains that string?

Here is my code:

ls *.CSV | while read filename; do 
    if [ filename == "*abc*"]; then
        echo "Found it" 
    else
        echo "No abc"
done

ls *.CSV list all the files with a .csv format. while reading the files, the code will compare if the filename have an "abc" string. if yes, the system will print "Found it", else, the system will print "No abc".

Why do you need this big loop for a simple grep statement? Check this ls *.CSV | grep -E "abc" — Amit Bhardwaj
– Amit Bhardwaj, Commented Oct 18, 2018 at 11:56

choroba · Accepted Answer · 2018-10-18 11:57:46Z

1

No need for any loop. Just let the shell do the heavy lifting:

ls *abc*.CSV

answered Oct 18, 2018 at 11:57

choroba

245k27 gold badges221 silver badges304 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

2 Comments

Socowi Over a year ago

@Aleeza please also remove the ls and read part. It's unnecessarily complicated and unsafe. Just for filename in *abc*.CSV; do ... will do.

chepner Over a year ago

At least for the purpose indicated in the question, if ls *abc*.CSV > /dev/null; then is probably the simplest thing to do. You don't actually care about the output, only the exit status, of ls. (Echoing the same, filename-agnostic string for each match seems pointless. Use the loop if there's actually something specific for each filename to do.)

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Check if multiple filename consist a specific string

1 Answer 1

2 Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

1 Answer 1

2 Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related