behavior of cp and mv in .sh files
 

Hi everybody. I'm looking into some cron'd .sh scripts on one of my servers, but had a real basic question to help me try to understand this mess i have.

If there is a cp or mv in a script, but the destination file already exists with the same name, by default does it overwrite, or will that fail to copy the new/updated file with the same name because 1 exists already?

Why don't you try it and see? Create a couple of dummy files, write a short script to overwrite one with the other, and see what happens. That way, you teach yourself, more satisfactory than being taught.

The default behavior for mv and cp is to overwrite the existing files. You can use the options -b or --backup with those commands, in that case the commands will make a backup file (usually with the ~ suffix, but you can specify that when using the --backup option) of the already existing file before overwriting it.
For more info have a look at

Yeah, I will give it a try, just wondered what it should do or if there's any good things to do or not do, or what to expect

Thanks tobi. Good to know what stuff I can try out for this.

So I wouldn't need to throw a -f in there to force a .sh to overwrite the destination files with the same names that i'm trying to copy and move over? it would do it by default?

The -f option only applies when the already existent file can't be opened for whatever reason. That normally shouldn't happen, so -f shouldn't be needed.

Thanks, I was just trying it out as you replied and that's exactly what happened.