Solution to error 'find: missing argument to -exec' with find -exec cp {} TARGET_DIR + [closed]

Question

I was getting ready to post this as a question, but after fiddling around with it a little longer, I found the solution. So I thought I would go ahead and post it here in case it helps someone else.

I had trouble with find -exec cmd +. I got the error:

$ find ./ -name "*JIM*" -exec cp {} $TARGET_DIR +
find: missing argument to `-exec'

It worked if I used

$ find ./ -name "*JIM*" -exec cp {} $TARGET_DIR \;

But I did't want to use that because it forks a new process for every file found.

And it worked if I used

$ find ./ -name "*JIM*" -exec ls {} +

It lists all of the files that I want to copy. But -exec cp {} $TARGET_DIR + didn't work.

The solution I found is:

$ find ./ -name "*JIM*" -exec cp --target-directory=$TARGET_DIR {} +

Where --target-directory= could also be replaced with -t

Hope this helps.

Answer 1

As mentioned in the opening post, the solution I found is:

$ find ./ -name "*JIM*" -exec cp --target-directory=$TARGET_DIR {} +

Where --target-directory= could also be replaced with -t