Deleting backups with `find -mtime +n` – more backups remain than expected
This is my script:
find /backup/dir -mindepth 1 -depth -mtime +4 -exec rm -rf {} ;
And after this I have always not last 4 backups but 5.
I think find sucks for this. Maybe someone have any idea how to use other tool in this?
linux backup find
edited Dec 24 '18 at 13:15
Kamil Maciorowski
25.8k155678
asked Dec 24 '18 at 10:41
rkarpinskirkarpinski
11
add a comment |
This is my script:
find /backup/dir -mindepth 1 -depth -mtime +4 -exec rm -rf {} ;
And after this I have always not last 4 backups but 5.
I think find sucks for this. Maybe someone have any idea how to use other tool in this?
linux backup find
edited Dec 24 '18 at 13:15
Kamil Maciorowski
25.8k155678
asked Dec 24 '18 at 10:41
rkarpinskirkarpinski
11
Are the backups in separate directories under/backup/dir/? While usingrm -ranyway,-mindepth 1 -maxdepth 1may be a more elegant approach (no need for-depththen).
– Kamil Maciorowski
Dec 24 '18 at 13:19
add a comment |
This is my script:
find /backup/dir -mindepth 1 -depth -mtime +4 -exec rm -rf {} ;
And after this I have always not last 4 backups but 5.
I think find sucks for this. Maybe someone have any idea how to use other tool in this?
linux backup find
edited Dec 24 '18 at 13:15
Kamil Maciorowski
25.8k155678
asked Dec 24 '18 at 10:41
rkarpinskirkarpinski
11
This is my script:
find /backup/dir -mindepth 1 -depth -mtime +4 -exec rm -rf {} ;
And after this I have always not last 4 backups but 5.
I think find sucks for this. Maybe someone have any idea how to use other tool in this?
linux backup find
linux backup find
edited Dec 24 '18 at 13:15
Kamil Maciorowski
25.8k155678
asked Dec 24 '18 at 10:41
rkarpinskirkarpinski
11
edited Dec 24 '18 at 13:15
Kamil Maciorowski
25.8k155678
asked Dec 24 '18 at 10:41
rkarpinskirkarpinski
11
edited Dec 24 '18 at 13:15
Kamil Maciorowski
25.8k155678
edited Dec 24 '18 at 13:15
Kamil Maciorowski
25.8k155678
edited Dec 24 '18 at 13:15
Kamil Maciorowski
25.8k155678
25.8k155678
asked Dec 24 '18 at 10:41
rkarpinskirkarpinski
11
asked Dec 24 '18 at 10:41
rkarpinskirkarpinski
11
asked Dec 24 '18 at 10:41
rkarpinskirkarpinski
11
11
Are the backups in separate directories under/backup/dir/? While usingrm -ranyway,-mindepth 1 -maxdepth 1may be a more elegant approach (no need for-depththen).
– Kamil Maciorowski
Dec 24 '18 at 13:19
add a comment |
Are the backups in separate directories under/backup/dir/? While usingrm -ranyway,-mindepth 1 -maxdepth 1may be a more elegant approach (no need for-depththen).
– Kamil Maciorowski
Dec 24 '18 at 13:19
Are the backups in separate directories under
/backup/dir/? While using rm -r anyway, -mindepth 1 -maxdepth 1 may be a more elegant approach (no need for -depth then).– Kamil Maciorowski
Dec 24 '18 at 13:19
Are the backups in separate directories under
/backup/dir/? While using rm -r anyway, -mindepth 1 -maxdepth 1 may be a more elegant approach (no need for -depth then).– Kamil Maciorowski
Dec 24 '18 at 13:19
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
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I think find sucks for this. Maybe someone have any idea how to use other tool in this?
find may still be the right tool.
From man find:
-mtime n
File's data was last modifiedn*24hours ago. See the comments for-atimeto understand how rounding affects the interpretation of file modification times.
[…]
Numeric arguments can be specified as
+nfor greater thann,
[…]
The relevant comment is
When
findfigures out how many 24-hour periods ago the file was last accessed, any fractional part is ignored, so to match-atime +1, a file has to have been accessed at least two days ago.
This means 0 is possible. With -mtime +4 backups that report 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4 are left intact. I assume your backups are daily so each of the mentioned numbers is reported exactly once. Five numbers, five backups don't pass the test, five backups remain.
If you use -mtime +3 instead of -mtime +4 then backups that report 0, 1, 2 or 3 will remain; probably four backups total, the number you wanted.
See also Why does the behaviour of find differ using -mtime -0 vs. +0?
answered Dec 24 '18 at 11:04
Kamil MaciorowskiKamil Maciorowski
25.8k155678
add a comment |
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1 Answer
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1 Answer
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oldest
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votes
I think find sucks for this. Maybe someone have any idea how to use other tool in this?
find may still be the right tool.
From man find:
-mtime n
File's data was last modifiedn*24hours ago. See the comments for-atimeto understand how rounding affects the interpretation of file modification times.
[…]
Numeric arguments can be specified as
+nfor greater thann,
[…]
The relevant comment is
When
findfigures out how many 24-hour periods ago the file was last accessed, any fractional part is ignored, so to match-atime +1, a file has to have been accessed at least two days ago.
This means 0 is possible. With -mtime +4 backups that report 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4 are left intact. I assume your backups are daily so each of the mentioned numbers is reported exactly once. Five numbers, five backups don't pass the test, five backups remain.
If you use -mtime +3 instead of -mtime +4 then backups that report 0, 1, 2 or 3 will remain; probably four backups total, the number you wanted.
See also Why does the behaviour of find differ using -mtime -0 vs. +0?
answered Dec 24 '18 at 11:04
Kamil MaciorowskiKamil Maciorowski
25.8k155678
add a comment |
I think find sucks for this. Maybe someone have any idea how to use other tool in this?
find may still be the right tool.
From man find:
-mtime n
File's data was last modifiedn*24hours ago. See the comments for-atimeto understand how rounding affects the interpretation of file modification times.
[…]
Numeric arguments can be specified as
+nfor greater thann,
[…]
The relevant comment is
When
findfigures out how many 24-hour periods ago the file was last accessed, any fractional part is ignored, so to match-atime +1, a file has to have been accessed at least two days ago.
This means 0 is possible. With -mtime +4 backups that report 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4 are left intact. I assume your backups are daily so each of the mentioned numbers is reported exactly once. Five numbers, five backups don't pass the test, five backups remain.
If you use -mtime +3 instead of -mtime +4 then backups that report 0, 1, 2 or 3 will remain; probably four backups total, the number you wanted.
See also Why does the behaviour of find differ using -mtime -0 vs. +0?
answered Dec 24 '18 at 11:04
Kamil MaciorowskiKamil Maciorowski
25.8k155678
add a comment |
I think find sucks for this. Maybe someone have any idea how to use other tool in this?
find may still be the right tool.
From man find:
-mtime n
File's data was last modifiedn*24hours ago. See the comments for-atimeto understand how rounding affects the interpretation of file modification times.
[…]
Numeric arguments can be specified as
+nfor greater thann,
[…]
The relevant comment is
When
findfigures out how many 24-hour periods ago the file was last accessed, any fractional part is ignored, so to match-atime +1, a file has to have been accessed at least two days ago.
This means 0 is possible. With -mtime +4 backups that report 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4 are left intact. I assume your backups are daily so each of the mentioned numbers is reported exactly once. Five numbers, five backups don't pass the test, five backups remain.
If you use -mtime +3 instead of -mtime +4 then backups that report 0, 1, 2 or 3 will remain; probably four backups total, the number you wanted.
See also Why does the behaviour of find differ using -mtime -0 vs. +0?
answered Dec 24 '18 at 11:04
Kamil MaciorowskiKamil Maciorowski
25.8k155678
I think find sucks for this. Maybe someone have any idea how to use other tool in this?
find may still be the right tool.
From man find:
-mtime n
File's data was last modifiedn*24hours ago. See the comments for-atimeto understand how rounding affects the interpretation of file modification times.
[…]
Numeric arguments can be specified as
+nfor greater thann,
[…]
The relevant comment is
When
findfigures out how many 24-hour periods ago the file was last accessed, any fractional part is ignored, so to match-atime +1, a file has to have been accessed at least two days ago.
This means 0 is possible. With -mtime +4 backups that report 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4 are left intact. I assume your backups are daily so each of the mentioned numbers is reported exactly once. Five numbers, five backups don't pass the test, five backups remain.
If you use -mtime +3 instead of -mtime +4 then backups that report 0, 1, 2 or 3 will remain; probably four backups total, the number you wanted.
See also Why does the behaviour of find differ using -mtime -0 vs. +0?
answered Dec 24 '18 at 11:04
Kamil MaciorowskiKamil Maciorowski
25.8k155678
edited Dec 24 '18 at 12:59
answered Dec 24 '18 at 11:04
Kamil MaciorowskiKamil Maciorowski
25.8k155678
answered Dec 24 '18 at 11:04
Kamil MaciorowskiKamil Maciorowski
25.8k155678
answered Dec 24 '18 at 11:04
Kamil MaciorowskiKamil Maciorowski
25.8k155678
25.8k155678
add a comment |
add a comment |
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Are the backups in separate directories under
/backup/dir/? While usingrm -ranyway,-mindepth 1 -maxdepth 1may be a more elegant approach (no need for-depththen).– Kamil Maciorowski
Dec 24 '18 at 13:19