mv lacks --recursive option. cp does not.

stf92 · 05-16-2009, 12:26 AM

How can do to move a given subtree into some other "node" of / (the root of the tree)? If I use cp or rm I can always use option --recursive. But that's not the case with mv.

Am I forced to write a script containing the two commands? Thanks for reading.

billymayday · 05-16-2009, 12:34 AM

If you move a directory, logically the contents must go with it, so there is no need for a recursive option

stf92 · 05-16-2009, 01:31 AM

Thanks. I now see cp and mv have exactly the same syntax, cp|mv SOURCE DIRECTORY which is pretty much logical. But then, why the --recursive option in cp? I see I never quite understood it. (I'm not sure this is a question because, if I confess I don't understand it, I should at least study it a bit before posting.

billymayday · 05-16-2009, 01:34 AM

I may want to copy the files in a directory, or the files in a directory, any sub-directories and the files in them, etc.

stf92 · 05-16-2009, 02:51 AM

I have the subtree

d1
<TAB> d2/f1
<TAB> f2

and want to copy it to directory .../e1/, what's the ifference between 'cp ./d1 .../e1/' and
'cp --recursive ./d1 .../e1/'?

billymayday · 05-16-2009, 04:41 PM

Set yourself up a test directory and try this stuff.

I take it you mean d2 is a directory within d1?

cp d1 e1 will only copy f2, with a message that directory d2 wasn't copied.

cp -r d1 e1 will copy f2, and d2 containing f1

stf92 · 05-17-2009, 03:55 AM

Yes, it is.

Reply most instructive. And it tells me setting oneself examples in order to study a man page is an advisable thing
to do. Thanks a lot and, by the way, how could I make the system notify me when I get a new linuxquestion
post, assuming I'm either in a text console or in the GUI?
(That is, assuming nothing, for either i'm in the one or i'm in the other, i think.)

Enrique.