what does `find pattern dir` do?

Question

When I search for some files under a dir, I run

find dir -name pattern

But I find that the following will return all the files under dir, regardless what pattern is:

find pattern dir

is it just like tree dir? Why is it?

find command has operators, test , actions and unusual filenames, see the following tutorials: content.hccfl.edu/pollock/Unix/FindCmd.htm — PersianGulf, Oct 19, 2014 at 22:42

jimmij · Accepted Answer · 2014-10-19 22:09:00Z

2

find can take many dirs as arguments:

find dir1 dir2 dir3 -name pattern

so find patern dir just lists everything inside two directories: pattern and dir.

answered Oct 19, 2014 at 22:09

jimmij

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jgr208 · Accepted Answer · 2014-10-19 22:00:07Z

1

In find, when you use the -name that means only output files with that name as a result

answered Oct 19, 2014 at 22:00

jgr208

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What does find pattern dir do?
– Tim
Oct 19, 2014 at 22:02
as in find foo.sh /? where foo.sh is the file being looked for and / is the directory?
– jgr208
Oct 19, 2014 at 22:03
It list all the the contents and subcontents of dir here. pattern doesn't matter.
– Tim
Oct 19, 2014 at 22:05

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2 Answers 2