This code is a bash script that recursively deletes certain...

This code is a bash script that recursively deletes certain files based on specific conditions. Below is an explanation of what the code does step-by-step:

Code Breakdown

1. for folder in ${SpecialFolders[@]}; do:

   • Loops through each folder in the array SpecialFolders. For every folder, the enclosed code executes.

2. filestodelete=\find $folder ...``:

   • Executes a find command in the current folder. Here’s what the find command does:

     • find $folder -maxdepth 0 -type f -size +0:
       • Only considers entries in $folder:
         • -maxdepth 0: Limits the search depth to the folder itself (does not look into subfolders).
         • -type f: Targets files only (ignores directories, links, etc.).
         • -size +0: Allows files with a size greater than 0 bytes.
     • -exec bash -c '...': For each file that matches the above criteria, the script executes the following custom logic using bash.
       • Condition inside bash -c:
         • The file {} command identifies the type of the file (e.g., plain text, gzip file).
         • The conditions check if the output contains:
           • "ASCII": Identifies if it's a plain ASCII text file.
           • "gzip compressed data": Identifies gzip-compressed files.
         • If either condition matches, the file is echoed (its path is stored).
     • 2> /dev/null: Suppresses any error messages during the find operation.

   • This results in the variable filestodelete being assigned the list of file paths that meet the conditions.

3. for file in $filestodelete; do:

   • Loops through the files listed in filestodelete.

4. rm -f $file:

   • Deletes the current file forcibly, without prompting for confirmation.

5. echo "Deleted $file":

   • Prints a message indicating that the file has been deleted.

6. done:

   • Ends the inner loop (over files).

7. done:

   • Ends the outer loop (over folders).

Summary of What the Code Does

The script:

1. Loops through a list of "special" folders stored in the SpecialFolders array.
2. Identifies files in these folders (without diving into subfolders) that:
   • Are ASCII text files or gzip-compressed files.
   • Have a size greater than zero bytes.
3. Deletes all such identified files and prints a message indicating the deletion.

Important Notes

• Risk: This script permanently deletes files without any confirmation. Use caution when running it.
• Suppressed Errors: Any errors from find are redirected to /dev/null, so you won’t see potential issues like permission errors.
• Edge Case: If filenames contain spaces, the for file in $filestodelete loop might break due to how bash handles word splitting. Using an array to store filestodelete would fix this issue.