command to copy a directory

ceantuco · 09-13-2008, 09:14 PM

Hi Guys,

I was trying to copy a directory from one place to the other one (local HD) but the cp command doesn't allow me to copy the entire directory. I was able to copy files from there but no directories.
Thanks

sasho · 09-13-2008, 09:22 PM

cp -r will copy recursively

ceantuco · 09-13-2008, 10:44 PM

Thanks! the problem wasn't the command I was typing, it was the directory name (upper case/spaces and numbers) Thanks again!

lipun4u · 09-13-2008, 11:44 PM

use tab

lets say the directory is in /root with name "gappu pad"
type

cp -r /root/gap<press tab here> target

Reasa · 09-14-2008, 04:56 PM

for spaces in names i usually put them "into brackets".

Ashok_mittal · 09-17-2008, 04:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ceantuco

Thanks! the problem wasn't the command I was typing, it was the directory name (upper case/spaces and numbers) Thanks again!

directory you want to copy is abc/ target is xyz/

cp -r abc/ xyz/

or if u want to copy a entire directory content then go in the directroy liks

cd qwe/

cp -r * xyz/

bob_man_uk · 09-17-2008, 04:09 AM

directories with spaces "should" have a \ before the space for example

Code:

cp -r silly\ sally/

and this is what the direcotry layout looks like

Code:

root@debian:/home/mgilbert# ls
core       Desktop  Documents  Music     Public       smb4k      Videos
core.9688  dev      hdd        Pictures  silly sally  Templates
root@debian:/home/mgilbert#