Checking if files already exists in a directory

[HHG]

Can anyone help

in a directory I have a list of files.
import directory
abc.txt
def.txt
ghf.txt

transfer directory contains.
abc1.txt
abc2.txt
def1.txt
def2.txt etc..

Whats the best way to check that the import directory doesn't already have this file. If it does I want to save it into the next transfer area.

Any ideas on how I might achieve this, that would be a great help.
Thanks in advance.

 

[columb]

for file in $(cd /path/to/import/dir;ls)
do
  if [ -f /path/to/store/dir/$file ] 
  then
    mv /path/to/import/dir/$file /path/to/other/dir
  else
    mv /path/to/import/dir/$file /path/to/store/dir
  fi
done

Ceci n'est pas une signature
Columb Healy

 

[HHG]

Hi Columb thanks for this. Sorry, but please can you explain a little further about your suggestion. Only you have to/import, to/store and to/other

I have the following directories

PREIMP - This will hold all the files in here.
1111abc.txt
2222abc.txt
3333def.txt
44444def.txt etc..

I only want to move the earliest file into the IMPORT directory - I don't want to move any files the IMPORT directory if the previously moved still exists.

IMPORT - The files in here will be processed by an application batch run and will delete once they have been processed.

IMPORT directory holds
abc.txt
def.txt

The script to loop again and look in PREIMP and rename moving files for the next import

Any offer of help with examples would be most appreciated.
Thanks in advance

 

[columb]

Sorry, I misunderstood the problem
The key, as I see it, is identifying that abc.txt relates to 1111abc.txt
so

for file in $(cd PREIMP;ls)
do
  shortfile=$(file##*[0-9]} #shortfile is file with all characters up to the last number stripped off
  if [ ! -f IMPORT/$shortfile ] # If we don't have one already
  then
    mv PREIMP/$file IMPORT/$shortfile # move and rename the file
  fi
done

Is that better?

Ceci n'est pas une signature
Columb Healy

 

[HHG]

Thanks for this I managed to get this working using length then doing a if statement.

e.g.echo $i | nawk '{print substr($1,13,length($1))}'`

Thanks again