How to access a target directory using bash scripting - bash

Question

I am relatively new to shell scripting. I am writing a script to compress all the files in current and target directory. I have found success in compressing the files of a current directory but I'm unable to write a script for compressing files in a target directory can anyone guide me?
I want to do something like this
% myCompress -t /home/users/bigFoot/ pdf ppt jpg

Answer 1

next time try to spread your code (it will make it easier to answer):
#!/bin/bash
if [[ $# == 0 ]]; then
echo "This shell script compress files with a specific extensions"
echo "Call Syntax: compress <extension_list>"
exit
fi
for ext in $*; do
for file in ls *.$ext; do
gzip -k $file
done
done
Mistakes made
1) $* - all args coming after command - so.... -t and path are not $ext variables
2) ls *.$ext is red in loop as 2 strings "ls and *.$ext" should be written as $(ls *.$ext) to get ls command executed
My script for your request
#!/bin/bash
script_name=`basename "$0"`
if [[ $# == 0 ]]; then
echo "This shell script compress files with a specific extensions"
echo "Call Syntax: $script_name <dirctories_list> <extension_list>"
exit
fi
# check if $1 is a directory
path=". "
file_type=""
for check_type in $* ; do
if [[ -d $check_type ]]; then
path=$path$check_type" "
else
file_type=$file_type"*."$check_type" "
fi
done
echo paths to gzip $path
echo files type to check "$file_type"
for x in $path; do
cd $x
for file in $(ls $file_type); do
gzip $file
done
cd -
done
Explanation
1) basename "$0" - get scripts name - it is more generic for usage - in case you change script's name
2) path=". " - variable hold a string of all directories to be compressed, your request is to run it also on current directory ". "
file_type="" - variable hold a string of all extensions to be compressed in $path string
3) running a loop on all input ARGS and concatenate directories names to $path string and other file types to $file_type
4) for each of the directories inserted to script:
i. cd $x - enter directorie
ii. gzip - compress all files with inserted extensions
iii. cd - - go back to base directories
Check gzip
I'm not familiar with the gzip command , check that you have -k flag