Bash script to keep last x number of files and delete the rest
- by Brady
I have this bash script which nicely backs up my database on a cron schedule:
#!/bin/sh
PT_MYSQLDUMPPATH=/usr/bin
PT_HOMEPATH=/home/philosop
PT_TOOLPATH=$PT_HOMEPATH/philosophy-tools
PT_MYSQLBACKUPPATH=$PT_TOOLPATH/mysql-backups
PT_MYSQLUSER=*********
PT_MYSQLPASSWORD="********"
PT_MYSQLDATABASE=*********
PT_BACKUPDATETIME=`date +%s`
PT_BACKUPFILENAME=mysqlbackup_$PT_BACKUPDATETIME.sql.gz
PT_FILESTOKEEP=14
$PT_MYSQLDUMPPATH/mysqldump -u$PT_MYSQLUSER -p$PT_MYSQLPASSWORD --opt $PT_MYSQLDATABASE | gzip -c > $PT_MYSQLBACKUPPATH/$PT_BACKUPFILENAME
Problem with this is that it will keep dumping the backups in the folder and not clean up old files. This is where the variable PT_FILESTOKEEP comes in. Whatever number this is set to thats the amount of backups I want to keep. All backups are time stamped so by ordering them by name DESC will give you the latest first.
Can anyone please help me with the rest of the BASH script to add the clean up of files? My knowledge of BASH is lacking and I'm unable to piece together the code to do the rest.
