Using 'xargs' command to copy files returns error?

Simon_zhu · 06-10-2015, 06:43 PM

Hi, I am new to Linux and have been trying to learn some basic commands recently and just practicing with how to use them. I have been trying to copy two .pdf files from a directory called 'Downloads' in my home directory to another directory called 'randomstuff' which is also in my home directory. The names of the files are "Oreilly.Essential.System.Administration.3rd.Edition-www.gocit.vn.pdf" and "OReilly - Unix Power Tools.pdf". Starting from my home directory, I type the command:
find ~/Downloads/ -name "*.pdf" -print0 | xargs -0 cp ~/randomstuff/

I have also tried:
find ~/Downloads/ -name "*.pdf" -print0 | xargs -0 cp ~/Downloads/ ~/randomstuff/

but they both return this error:
cp: target `/root/Downloads/OReilly - Unix Power Tools.pdf' is not a directory

I'm assuming the problem might be with the spaces in the name? but i'm not sure.

syg00 · 06-10-2015, 07:46 PM

Rather than assume, see what data are actually being returned, then proceed to debug. Delete the pipe and the xargs and see what's presented.

Keith Hedger · 06-10-2015, 08:06 PM

Try:

Code:

find ~/Downloads/ -name "*.pdf" -print0 | xargs -I '{}' -0 cp '{}' ~/randomstuff

0
That's a capital 'eye' not an 'ell' it basicly repleaces '{}' with the output from the pipe from the find command.
Find can be a bit tricky especially with the order of the arguments, tthe 'man' program is your friend here

Code:

man find
man xargs

syg00 · 06-10-2015, 08:19 PM

And whilst I realise this is a learning exercise, you may prefer the -exec parameter in "find" easier rather than piping to xargs. Also a little more efficient for large operations.

No less obtuse unfortunately.

Simon_zhu · 06-10-2015, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keith Hedger

Try:

Code:

find ~/Downloads/ -name "*.pdf" -print0 | xargs -I '{}' -0 cp '{}' ~/randomstuff

0
That's a capital 'eye' not an 'ell' it basicly repleaces '{}' with the output from the pipe from the find command.
Find can be a bit tricky especially with the order of the arguments, tthe 'man' program is your friend here

Code:

man find
man xargs

Thanks, this method worked, but I am still unsure why my original one didn't work? Before posting this on the forum I already tried deleting the xarg and the pipe like sygOO suggested and the find worked by itself, which is why I wasn't sure where the problem was.

syg00 · 06-10-2015, 09:10 PM

The "find" returned the full pathname - you can't use that with a (source) directory in the "cp".

Simon_zhu · 06-11-2015, 12:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by syg00

The "find" returned the full pathname - you can't use that with a (source) directory in the "cp".

Thanks for the response. However, if that is the case how come when I enter the command:

cp 'Downloads/OReilly - Unix Power Tools.pdf' randomstuff/

or

cp Downloads/*.pdf randomstuff/

they both work properly? thanks

Simon_zhu · 06-11-2015, 12:17 AM

ah nvm, i think i know what you mean, full path name as in /root/Downloads/*.pdf right?

rknichols · 06-11-2015, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Simon_zhu

Hi, I am new to Linux and have been trying to learn some basic commands recently and just practicing with how to use them. I have been trying to copy two .pdf files from a directory called 'Downloads' in my home directory to another directory called 'randomstuff' which is also in my home directory. The names of the files are "Oreilly.Essential.System.Administration.3rd.Edition-www.gocit.vn.pdf" and "OReilly - Unix Power Tools.pdf". Starting from my home directory, I type the command:
find ~/Downloads/ -name "*.pdf" -print0 | xargs -0 cp ~/randomstuff/

I have also tried:
find ~/Downloads/ -name "*.pdf" -print0 | xargs -0 cp ~/Downloads/ ~/randomstuff/

but they both return this error:
cp: target `/root/Downloads/OReilly - Unix Power Tools.pdf' is not a directory

The problem is that the cp command treats the last argument as the destination, whereas xargs will be appending your source files to the end of the command line it generates. For your first example, the cp command will look something like

Code:

cp /root/randomstuff/ ... '/root/Downloads/OReilly - Unix Power Tools.pdf'

and that PDF file is not a valid destination for a multi-file copy.

The cp command has an alternative way to specify the destination and allow the source arguments to follow in the command line:

Code:

find ~/Downloads/ -name "*.pdf" -print0 | xargs -0 cp --target-directory=~/randomstuff/
# Or, the equivalent short form
find ~/Downloads/ -name "*.pdf" -print0 | xargs -0 cp -t ~/randomstuff/

BTW, the method using "xargs -I '{}' ..." is inefficient if there are a large number of files since it will invoke the cp command separately for each file to be copied. (Using "-I" implies "-L 1".)

Simon_zhu · 06-11-2015, 04:56 PM

Thanks for the reply, that clears everything up.