-exec on find(1) broken

[Paul McFerrin]

Well, I finally got it!

     find . -type f -mtime +18 -exec /bin/echo {} \; | more

is the correct syntax.  Now I just replace "/bin/echo" with "/bin/rm" 
and I ready to go.

-paul

Paul McFerrin wrote:
> Those ideas don't work either....
>
>    /i/mp3.$ find . -type f -mtime +18 -exec /bin/echo '\;' | more
>    find: missing argument to `-exec'
>
> while
>
>    /i/mp3.$ find . -type f -mtime +18 -exec /bin/echo ';' | more
>    /i/mp3.$ find . -type f -mtime +18 -exec /bin/echo \; | more
>
> both produces many empty lines as if there is NO argument being 
> passed.  The main purpose is to replace /bin/echo with /bin/rm when I 
> get the argument figured out.  I think -exec is really broken.  If you 
> can get a working example, let me know.
>
> -paul
>
>  
>
> Gary Johnson wrote:
>> On 2007-10-09, Paul McFerrin wrote:
>>  
>>> I think I'm going nuts.  What am I doing wrong?  Can't seem to get 
>>> -exec to work.
>>>
>>>    /i/mp3.$ find . -type f -mtime +18 -exec /bin/echo \{\;\} | more
>>>    find: missing argument to `-exec'
>>>    /i/mp3.$ find . -type f -mtime +18 -exec /bin/echo \{\} | more    
>>> find: missing argument to `-exec'
>>>    /i/mp3.$ find . -type f -mtime +18 -exec /bin/echo '\;' | more
>>>    find: missing argument to `-exec'
>>>    /i/mp3.$ find . -type f -mtime +18 -exec /bin/echo \{;\} | more
>>>    find: missing argument to `-exec'
>>>    /i/mp3.$ find . -type f -mtime +18 -exec echo '\;' | more
>>>    find: missing argument to `-exec'
>>>
>>> There is NO missing argument to -exec.  What gives?  Is it really 
>>> broken or do I not understand the manual page correctly?
>>>     
>>
>> You're putting too many quotes around the semicolon.  Use
>>
>>    \;
>>
>> or
>>
>>    ';'
>>
>> but not both.  For example,
>>
>>    find . -type f -mtime +18 -exec /bin/echo \; | more
>>
>> If you want to echo the name of each file found, use {} like this:
>>
>>    find . -type f -mtime +18 -exec /bin/echo {} \; | more
>>
>> However, if that's all you want to do, the -exec isn't 
>> necessary--just use -print:
>>
>>    find . -type f -mtime +18 -print | more
>>
>> In modern implementations of find, such as Cygwin's, the -print 
>> usually isn't necessary either, so you could get by with just this:
>>
>>    find . -type f -mtime +18 | more
>>
>> Also, please don't start new threads by replying to other posts--it 
>> messes up threading.  Send mail directly to the list instead.
>>
>> Regards,
>> Gary
>>
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>
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