find Command

Purpose

Finds files with a matching expression.

Syntax

find Path ... [ Expression ]

Description

The find command recursively searches the directory tree for each specified Path parameter, seeking files that match a Boolean expression written using the terms given in the following text. When the find command is recursively descending directory structures, it will not descend into directories that are symbolically linked into the current hierarchy. The output from the find command depends on the terms specified by the Expression parameter.

The find command does not support the 4.3 BSD fast find syntax.

Expression Terms

These Boolean expressions and variables describe the search boundaries of the find command as defined in the Path and Expression parameters.

Note: In the following definitions, the Number variable specifies a decimal integer that can be expressed as +Number (more than Number), -Number (less than Number), or Number (exactly Number).

These expressions can be combined using the following operators in the order of decreasing precedence:

1. ( Expression ) - A parenthetic group of expressions and operators (parentheses are special to the shell and require the backslash-escape sequence).
2. ! Expression - The negation of an expression ('!' is the unary NOT operator).
3. Expression [ -a ] Expression - Concatenation of expressions (the AND operation is implied by the juxtaposition of two primaries or may be explicitly stated as -a).
4. Expression -o Expression - Alternation of primaries; -o is the OR operator. The second expression will not be evaluated if the first expression is true.

Exit Status

This command returns the following exit values:

Examples

1. To list all files in the file system with a given base file name, enter:

   find / -name .profile -print

   This searches the entire file system and writes the complete path names of all files named .profile. The / (slash) tells the find command to search the root directory and all of its subdirectories. In order not to waste time, it is best to limit the search by specifying the directories where you think the files might be.
2. To list files having a specific permission code in the current directory tree, enter:

   find . -perm 0600 -print

   This lists the names of the files that have only owner-read and owner-write permission. The . (dot) tells the find command to search the current directory and its subdirectories. See the chmod command for an explanation of permission codes.
3. To search several directories for files with certain permission codes, enter:

   find manual clients proposals -perm -0600 -print

   This lists the names of the files that have owner-read and owner-write permission and possibly other permissions. The manual, clients, and proposals directories and their subdirectories are searched. In the previous example, -perm 0600 selects only files with permission codes that match 0600 exactly. In this example, -perm -0600 selects files with permission codes that allow the accesses indicated by 0600 and other accesses above the 0600 level. This also matches the permission codes 0622 and 2744.
4. To list all files in the current directory that have been changed during the current 24-hour period, enter:

   find . -ctime 1 -print

5. To search for regular files with multiple links, enter:

   find . -type f -links +1 -print

   This lists the names of the ordinary files (-type f) that have more than one link (-links +1).

   Note: Every directory has at least two links: the entry in its parent directory and its own . (dot) entry. The ln command explains multiple file links.

6. To find all accessible files whose path name contains find, enter:

   find . -name '*find*' -print

7. To remove all files named a.out or *.o that have not been accessed for a week and that are not mounted using nfs, enter:

   find / \( -name a.out -o  -name '*.o' \) -atime +7 ! -fstype nfs -exec \ rm {} \;

   Note: The number used within the -atime expression is +7. This is the correct entry if you want the command to act on files not accessed for more than a week (seven 24-hour periods).

8. To print the path names of all files in or below the current directory, except the directories named SCCS or files in the SCCS directories, enter:

   find . -name SCCS -prune -o -print

   To print the path names of all files in or below the current directory, including the names of SCCS directories, enter:

   find . -print -name SCCS -prune

9. To search for all files that are exactly 414 bytes long, enter:

   find . -size 414c -print

10. To find and remove every file in your home directory with the .c suffix, enter:

    find /u/arnold -name "*.c" -exec rm {} ;

    Every time the find command identifies a file with the .c suffix, the rm command deletes that file. The rm command is the only parameter specified for the -exec expression. The {} (braces) represent the current path name.

Files

Related Information

Backup Overview for System Management in AIX Version 4.3 System Management Guide: Operating System and Devices introduces archiving methods, including the use of the cpio command.

Directories Overview in AIX Version 4.3 Files Reference describes the structure and characteristics of directories in the file system.

Files Overview in AIX Version 4.3 System User's Guide: Operating System and Devices describes files, file types, how to name files, and how to use wildcard characters.

Input and Output Redirection Overview in AIX Version 4.3 System User's Guide: Operating System and Devices describes how the operating system processes input and output.

Shells Overview in AIX Version 4.3 System User's Guide: Operating System and Devices describes shells, the different types of shells, and how shells affect the way commands are interpreted.

File and Directory Access Modes in AIX Version 4.3 System User's Guide: Operating System and Devices introduces file ownership and permissions to access files and directories.