How to avoid copying specific file format using cp command

Question

I am using cp command in ma bash script

cp /source/* /destination

I just want to avoid copying all .txt file from my source to destination.

KamilCuk · Accepted Answer · 2019-05-16 20:13:04Z

6

If extended globulation is enabled, you can match al files except txt ones:

cp /source/!(*.txt) /destination

*.txt matches all txt files. The !(...) tells it to match everything except what's in the ... part.

edited May 16, 2019 at 20:13

answered May 16, 2019 at 20:07

KamilCuk

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4 Comments

Query Over a year ago

bash: !: event not found

KamilCuk Over a year ago

Try after shopt -s extglob.

Query Over a year ago

Its not working while I am writing into the script, any idea?

glenn jackman Over a year ago

did you take Kamil's advice?

R.W.K. · Accepted Answer · 2019-05-16 20:00:04Z

3

I don't know if you can do this in copy but the rsync command has this ability. Try

rsync -av /source/* /destination --exclude "*txt".

See https://www.howtogeek.com/168009/how-to-exclude-files-from-rsync/ for some more details and examples.

answered May 16, 2019 at 20:00

R.W.K.

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Comments

Stephen · Accepted Answer · 2019-05-16 20:22:41Z

0

Try

find . -maxdepth 1 -type f \( ! -iname "*.txt" \) -print0 | xargs -0 cp {} /destination

The -print0 and -0 are needed to handle files that could have spaces in the name.

edited May 16, 2019 at 20:22

answered May 16, 2019 at 20:16

Stephen

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