Copy files from one folder to another folder with filters

Question

I have these files in my source folder

source_path/date=20191230/somefile.txt
source_path/date=20191231/somefile.txt
source_path/date=20200101/somefile.txt
source_path/date=20200102/somefile.txt

If I do the bellow command all files will be copied to my dest_path folder

cp --recursive source_path/ dest_path/

I just want to copy all folders where dates are in 2020 or something

I just need these to files of 2020

source_path/date=20200101/somefile.txt
source_path/date=20200102/somefile.txt

How can I add filters with cp command

ypnos · Accepted Answer · 2020-10-30T10:17:12.973

2

This question is not suitable for Stack Overflow, but this is the answer:

cp --recursive source_path/date=20200* dest_path/

Or does dest_path not exist? Then you would write

mkdir -p dest_path && cp --recursive source_path/date=20200* dest_path/

edited Oct 30 '20 at 10:17

answered Oct 30 '20 at 10:09

ypnos

50,202
14
95
141

Do not answer off topic questions. [answer] – Rob Oct 30 '20 at 11:28

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Oct 30 '20 at 10:10

You can use find with the -name, -type and -exec flags and so if the source directory was /home/foo and the destination directory /tmp:

find /home/foo -type d -name "*date-2020*" -exec cp '{}' /tmp \;

-type signifies that we only searching directories, -name is the name we are searching for and exec for command we are executing with the results

Copy files from one folder to another folder with filters

2 Answers2