Remove all files except some from a directory

Question

When using sudo rm -r, how can I delete all files, with the exception of the following:

textfile.txt
backup.tar.gz
script.php
database.sql
info.         


        

Answer 1

Rather than going for a direct command, please move required files to temp dir outside current dir. Then delete all files using rm * or rm -r *.

Then move required files to current dir.

Answer 2

rm !(textfile.txt|backup.tar.gz|script.php|database.sql|info.txt)

The extglob (Extended Pattern Matching) needs to be enabled in BASH (if it's not enabled):

shopt -s extglob

Answer 3

You can use GLOBIGNORE environment variable in Bash.

Suppose you want to delete all files except php and sql, then you can do the following -

export GLOBIGNORE=*.php:*.sql
rm *
export GLOBIGNORE=

Setting GLOBIGNORE like this ignores php and sql from wildcards used like "ls *" or "rm *". So, using "rm *" after setting the variable will delete only txt and tar.gz file.

Answer 4

I belive you can use

rm -v !(filename)

Except for the filename all the other files will e deleted in the directory and make sure you are using it in

Answer 5

Since nobody mentioned it:

• copy the files you don't want to delete in a safe place
• delete all the files
• move the copied files back in place

Answer 6

Trying it worked with:

rm -r !(Applications|"Virtualbox VMs"|Downloads|Documents|Desktop|Public)

but names with spaces are (as always) tough. Tried also with Virtualbox\ VMs instead the quotes. It deletes always that directory (Virtualbox VMs).