linux - How to tar the n most recent files -

i trying create script foreach directoy in folder folder, n recent files compressed.

however, having trouble multiple word files. need way wrap them in quote marks tar command knows wich each file.

here script far:

#!/bin/bash  if [ ! -d ~/backup ];     mkdir ~/backup fi  cd ~/folder in *;     if [ -d "$i" ];         original=`pwd`         cd $i         echo tar zcf ~/backup/"$i".tar.gz "`ls -t | head -10`"         cd $original     fi done echo "backup copied in $home/backup/" exit 0  

if [ ! -d ~/backup ];     mkdir ~/backup fi 

you can simplify :

[[ ! -d ~/backup ]] && mkdir ~/backup  

now answer question :

$ ls -t|head -10 file spaces file test.txt test test.sh $ lstfiles=""; while read; lstfiles="$lstfiles \"$reply\""; done <<< "$(ls -t|head -10)" $ echo $lstfiles "file spaces" "file" "test.txt" "test" "test.sh" 

see how read command output or file content loop in bash read more details.