script to copy files containing string
 

i need a script to copy all files containing a certain string (in the file) to a directory. any help would be greatly appreciated.

thanks,

I'm on windows at work so I did this without being able to check it...

Assuming you're on *nix, though.

lol, and here's the help I forgot to add (if you're using Windows):

You can use the find command. Example, let's say that you're looking for the string lol!! in a file called lol.txt.
If it's in there once, it would return this.

find "lol!!" lol.txt

---------- LOL.TXT
"lol!!"


Unfortunately, I don't know if you can use a 'greater than' operator in batch files (if you could, you could use the /c switch to show you the count of lines containing it (example: 2)). If you can find a way to use the greater than operator, go for it.

I don't associate BASH/Shell scripting with Windows, but i think it would be a good idea to specify when posting threads in this forum in the future, unless we decide that BASH/Shell scripting also includes windows Batch

Yeah, I don't associate the two either, but there have been posts about batch scripts in this section. I just decided I'd give the input. :P

right on, i'll talk to K to see if we can clear the confusion up.

Sorry for not being more specific. I meant *nix.

Thanks for the help!

when i try:

cp `grep -f *.txt -e string -l` tmp

i get this error:
cp: grep -f *.txt -e string -l: No such file or directory

back sure they're back hashes not just single appostraphes

ok, my mistake. got it.

works great, but copying the files in OS X changes the date modified for the files.

any idea how to do this in with a windows batch file or even better with python?

thanks again for the help,