4BSD/usr/man/cat1/find.1

FIND(1)             UNIX Programmer's Manual              FIND(1)



NAME
     find - find files

SYNOPSIS
     find pathname-list  expression

DESCRIPTION
     _F_i_n_d recursively descends the directory hierarchy for each
     pathname in the _p_a_t_h_n_a_m_e-_l_i_s_t (i.e., one or more pathnames)
     seeking files that match a boolean _e_x_p_r_e_s_s_i_o_n 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.

     -name filename
               True if the _f_i_l_e_n_a_m_e argument matches the current
               file name.  Normal Shell argument syntax may be
               used if escaped (watch out for `[', `?' and `*').

     -perm onum
               True if the file permission flags exactly match
               the octal number _o_n_u_m (see _c_h_m_o_d(1)).  If _o_n_u_m is
               prefixed by a minus sign, more flag bits (017777,
               see _s_t_a_t(2)) become significant and the flags are
               compared: (_f_l_a_g_s&_o_n_u_m)==_o_n_u_m.

     -type c   True if the type of the file is _c, where _c is b,
               c, d or f for block special file, character spe-
               cial file, directory or plain file.

     -links n  True if the file has _n links.

     -user uname
               True if the file belongs to the user _u_n_a_m_e (login
               name or numeric user ID).

     -group gname
               True if the file belongs to group _g_n_a_m_e (group
               name or numeric group ID).

     -size n   True if the file is _n blocks long (512 bytes per
               block).

     -inum n   True if the file has inode number _n.

     -atime n  True if the file has been accessed in _n days.

     -mtime n  True if the file has been modified in _n days.

     -exec command
               True if the executed command returns a zero value
               as exit status.  The end of the command must be



Printed 11/10/80                                                1






FIND(1)             UNIX Programmer's Manual              FIND(1)



               punctuated by an escaped semicolon.  A command
               argument `{}' is replaced by the current pathname.

     -ok command
               Like -exec except that the generated command is
               written on the standard output, then the standard
               input is read and the command executed only upon
               response y.

     -print    Always true; causes the current pathname to be
               printed.

     -newer file
               True if the current file has been modified more
               recently than the argument _f_i_l_e.

     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 _n_o_t opera-
         tor).

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

     4)  Alternation of primaries (`-o' is the _o_r 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
       {} \;

FILES
     /etc/passwd
     /etc/group

SEE ALSO
     sh(1), test(1), filsys(5)

BUGS
     The syntax is painful.








Printed 11/10/80                                                2