cp $var1 var2 doesn't work
 

I'm running a bash script on a Raspberry Pi to control LED pixels. I'm stuck on a basic copy command.

I have a variable called nexttemp which contains the string B_254_TieDyeKaleidoscope.fseq

That file, in the same directory, is a large binary file that I'm trying to copy to a file called MasterFseq.fseq

If I do a

cp nexttemp MasterFseq.fseq

then MasterFseq.fseq contains the B_254_TieDyeKaleidoscope.fseq file name.

I want instead to have copied the binary file to MasterFseq.fseq.

It's my understanding that a $nexttemp will point to the binary file and not the name of it but when I do a

cp $nexttemp MasterFseq.fseq

the $nexttemp is thrown away and I'm told there is no destination file name, eg.

root@FPP:/home/pi/media/sequences# echo cp $nexttemp MasterFseq.fseq
+ echo cp MasterFseq.fseq
cp MasterFseq.fseq

How do I get the binaray file, which is named in nexttemp, copied to MasterFseq.fseq?

John

Looks like you have a file called nexttemp, not a variable.
What does "echo $nexttemp" give - I'm guessing nothing.

Your nexttemp variable is empty.

First set by:

Then execute the copy command.

There's no reason for export, just set the variable normally, unless it needs to be used by subprocesses as well.

Oh, exactly right. An echo command shows nothing. Somewhere in my parsing and manipulation of the target character string, the variable became a file. Making it a variable again does indeed work with the cp $var command.

Brain fade is so discouraging. Thanks for everyone's input. Great forum.