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Comment: fix aforementioned example, add another, clean up
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Comment: put bash solutions at top, removed bash-specific non-array solution (what's wrong with arrays?), removed ls -A solutions (if you want to not use a specific shell you may as well TRY to be portable)
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| Most modern systems have an "ls -A" which explicitly omits "." and ".." from the directory listing: {{{ if [ -n "$(ls -A somedir)" ] then echo directory is non-empty fi }}} This can be shortened to: {{{ if [ "$(ls -A somedir)" ] then echo directory is non-empty fi }}} Another way, using Bash features, involves setting a special shell option which changes the behavior of [:glob:globbing]. Some people prefer to avoid this approach, because it's so drastically different and could severely alter the behavior of scripts. Nevertheless, if you're willing to use this approach, it does greatly simplify this particular task: {{{ shopt -s nullglob if [[ -z $(echo *) ]]; then echo directory is empty fi shopt -u nullglob }}} This can also be combined with Bash's [:BashFAQ/005:arrays]. The major advantage here is that you probably wanted to ''do'' something with all the files, so having them loaded into an array is something that will help you with the overall task: |
In BASH, you can do this safely and easily with the nullglob option (which changes the behaviour of [:glob:globbing]), and arrays: |
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| shopt -u nullglob | shopt -u nullglob |
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| `nullglob` also simplifies various other operations: | As you can see we unset the nullglob after using it, to prevent it affecting other globs in the script in unexpected ways. `nullglob` also simplifies various other operations: |
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| Finally, you may wish to avoid the ''direct'' question altogether. Usually people want to know whether a directory is empty... ''because'' they want to do something involving the files therein, etc. Look to the larger question. For example, one of these [:UsingFind:find-based examples] may be an appropriate solution: | In fact, you may wish to avoid the ''direct'' question altogether. Usually people want to know whether a directory is empty... ''because'' they want to do something involving the files therein, etc. Look to the larger question. For example, one of these [:UsingFind:find-based examples] may be an appropriate solution: |
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| It's all a matter of addressing the program's actual requirements. | If your script needs to run with various shell implementations, you can try using an external program like python, perl, or find as indicated above, or you can try something like: {{{ if [ "`printf %s foo/*`" = 'foo/*' ] && [ ! -e 'foo/*' ] then echo "foo is empty" fi }}} Yes, it's ugly, but it should be more portable than anything depending on ls output. |
How can I check whether a directory is empty or not? How do I check for any *.mpg files?
I just deleted three completely wrong answers from this question. Please, people, make sure that when you add to the FAQ, your answers
- answer the question that was asked, and
actually work
Thanks. -- GreyCat
In BASH, you can do this safely and easily with the nullglob option (which changes the behaviour of [:glob:globbing]), and arrays:
shopt -s nullglob
files=(*)
(( ${#files[*]} )) || echo directory is empty
shopt -u nullglobAs you can see we unset the nullglob after using it, to prevent it affecting other globs in the script in unexpected ways. nullglob also simplifies various other operations:
shopt -s nullglob
for i in *.zip; do
blah blah "$i" # No need to check $i is a file.
done
shopt -u nullglobWithout the nullglob, that would have to be:
for i in *.zip; do
[[ -f $i ]] || continue # If no .zip files, i becomes *.zip
blah blah "$i"
done(You may want to use the latter anyway, if there's a possibility that the glob may match directories in addition to files.)
In fact, you may wish to avoid the direct question altogether. Usually people want to know whether a directory is empty... because they want to do something involving the files therein, etc. Look to the larger question. For example, one of these [:UsingFind:find-based examples] may be an appropriate solution:
find "$somedir" -type f -exec echo Found unexpected file {} \;
find "$somedir" -maxdepth 0 -empty -exec echo {} is empty. \; # GNU/BSD
find "$somedir" -type d -empty -exec cp /my/configfile {} \; # GNU/BSDIf your script needs to run with various shell implementations, you can try using an external program like python, perl, or find as indicated above, or you can try something like:
if [ "`printf %s foo/*`" = 'foo/*' ] && [ ! -e 'foo/*' ]
then
echo "foo is empty"
fiYes, it's ugly, but it should be more portable than anything depending on ls output.