Bash script to copy files into a folder and then zip up that folder automatically.

prepare.sh

#!/bin/bash
# This is a simple script that copies files and directories to a folder, and then zips up that folder.
# You can think of it as sort of a low level deployment script, at least thats what I use it for;
# To quickly create a zip using only the files needed for the production version of a WordPress plugin which I then upload to CodeCanyon.
# Feel free to extend and modify for your particular use-case.

# Instructions:
# From your command line, navigate to location of script and then execute it using command: 
# sh prepare.sh

# Completely remove our previously generated zip (just cause) 
rm -f dist/plugin.zip

# Create our base "dist" folder
mkdir -p dist

# Create our folder for storing the files and directories we want zipped
mkdir -p dist/plugin

# Trailing . is important if you want to copy all files and subdirectories in "folder1"
cp -r /path/to/folder1/. /path/to/dist/plugin/folder1
cp -r /path/to/plugin.php /path/to/dist/plugin/plugin.php
# ...
# ...

# Below is an example if you have spaces in your paths. You need to enclose it in single quotes.
# cp -r '/path/to/Bad Naming/folder1/.' '/path/to/Bad Naming/dist/plugin/folder1'
# cp -r '/path/to/Bad Naming/index.php' '/path/to/Bad Naming/dist/plugin/index.php'

# Create our zip file from the folder "plugin" and name it "plugin.zip"
(cd dist/plugin && zip -r ../plugin.zip .)

# Show some info about file
ls -l dist/plugin.zip

# Clean up dist folder
rm -r dist/plugin