NAME

find − find files

SYNTAX

find pathname-list  expression

DESCRIPTION

The find command recursively descends the directory hierarchy for each pathname in the pathname-list (that is, one or more pathnames) seeking files that match a boolean expression written in the primaries given below.  In the descriptions, the argument n is used as a decimal integer where +n means more than n, −n means less than n , and n means exactly n.

OPTIONS

−atime nTests true if the file has been accessed in n days. 

−cpio outputWrites current file on output in the format (5120-byte records) specified in the cpio() reference page.  The output can be either a file or tape device.  If output is a tape device the cpio() B key must be used to read data from the tape.

−exec command
Tests true if specified command returns a 0 on exit. The end of the command must be punctuated by an escaped semicolon. A command argument ‘{}’ is replaced by the current pathname.

−group gnameTests true if group ID matches specified group name. 

−inum nTests true if the file has inode number n. 

−links nTests true if the file has n links. 

−mountTests true if the current file is on the same file system as the current starting pathname. 

−mtime nTests true if the file has been modified in n days. 

−name filename
Tests true if the filename argument matches the current file name.  Normal Shell argument syntax may be used if escaped (watch out for ‘[’, ‘?’ and ‘*’). 

−newer fileTests true if the current file has been modified more recently than the argument file. 

−ok commandExecutes specified command on standard output, then standard input is read and command executed only upon response y. 

−perm onumTests true if file has specified octal number.  For further information, see chmod(.). If onum is prefixed by a minus sign, more flag bits (017777) become significant and the flags are compared: (flags&onum)==onum. For further information, see stat(.).

−printPrints current pathname. 

−size nTests true if the file is n blocks long (512 bytes per block). 

−type cTests true if file is c type ( c = b, block special file: c, character special file: d, directory: f, plain file: l, symbolic link: p, type port: s, type socket). 

−user unameTests true if file owner is login name or numeric user ID. 

The primaries may be combined using the following operators (in order of decreasing precedence):

1) A parenthesized group of primaries and operators (parentheses are special to the Shell and must be escaped). 

2) The negation of a primary (‘!’ is the unary not operator). 

3) Concatenation of primaries (the and operation is implied by the juxtaposition of two primaries). 

4) Alternation of primaries (‘−o’ is the or operator). 

EXAMPLE

To remove all files named ‘a.out’ or ‘*.o’ that have not been accessed for a week:

find / \( −name a.out −o −name ’*.o’ \) \
−atime +7 −exec rm {} \;

To find all files on the root file system type:

find / -mount -print

To write all the files on the root file system to tape:

find / -mount -print -cpio /dev/rmt?h
cpio -iBvt < /dev/rmt?h

To find all the mount points on the root file system type:

find / ! -mount -print

FILES

/etc/passwd
/etc/group

SEE ALSO

cpio(1), cpio(5), sh(1), test(1), fs(5)

Commands