copying a million tiny files?

Larry Hall (Cygwin) reply-to-list-only-lh@cygwin.com
Thu Nov 1 04:01:00 GMT 2007


Brian Dessent wrote:
> sam reckoner wrote:
> 
>> I'm not exaggerating. I have over one million small files that like to
>> move between disks. The problem is that even getting a directory
>> listing takes forever.
>>
>> Is there a best practice for this?
> 
> I know it's heresy but if you just want to copy files why not use the
> native XCOPY?  It will not suffer the performance degredation of having
> to emulate the POSIX stat semantics on every file, just like the native
> DIR command in a large directory does not take ages because it simply
> uses FindFirstFile/FindNextFile which are fairly efficient (but do not
> provide sufficient information to emulate POSIX.)

I'm sorry Brian.  We put up with allot from you but I think we have to
draw the line at heresy.  What is the penalty for heresy around here
anyway?  Expulsion?  Flogging?  Burning at the stake?  Whatever it is,
I think we need to make an example of Brian.

-- 
Larry Hall                              http://www.rfk.com
RFK Partners, Inc.                      (508) 893-9779 - RFK Office
216 Dalton Rd.                          (508) 893-9889 - FAX
Holliston, MA 01746

_____________________________________________________________________

A: Yes.
 > Q: Are you sure?
 >> A: Because it reverses the logical flow of conversation.
 >>> Q: Why is top posting annoying in email?

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