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Old 11-26-2011, 08:58 AM   #1
sungchoiok
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Copying files in command line when the Tree is Very Deep


When using the 'cp' command, have you ever had a problem where the tree was too deep for you to commit to memory? For instance, I want to copy files from "this" directory (.) to some completely different location that has a tree depth of around 15. For now, I write the path down, lol, but I imagine that there's a more efficient way to do this.
 
Old 11-26-2011, 09:12 AM   #2
tronayne
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The usual way to copy a tree is to use recursive copy:
Code:
cp -pr source destination
The -p says, "don't follow symbolic links" and the -r says, "copy directories recursively." This simply means that cp will "walk the tree," copying as it goes -- the tree will be copied to the destination -- all directories and the files within them.

You don't want to follow symbolic links (because you'll copy everything the link points to and you probably don't want to do that).

Hope this helps some.
 
Old 11-26-2011, 09:34 AM   #3
Telengard
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sungchoiok View Post
For now, I write the path down, lol, but I imagine that there's a more efficient way to do this.
There is: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tab_completion

If you find yourself referencing the same directory frequently you can always assign it to a variable.

Bash provides a number of conveniences which can help navigating complex hierarchies, such as the directory stack and command history.
 
Old 11-26-2011, 10:56 AM   #4
MTK358
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Or you can copy and paste using the mouse (assuming a GUI terminal window). Just select to copy and middle-click to paste (no key shortcuts or right-click menus).
 
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Old 11-26-2011, 11:12 AM   #5
bigrigdriver
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Assuming you are not logged into runlevels 1 or 3 (text only modes), open your file manager and drill down through the directory tree to the directory into which you want to copy the files. The path to that directory is displayed in the URL bar of your file manager.

Then open a terminal and cd to the directory which contains the files to be copied.

No need to write down the path to the destination; just copy it from the URL bar of the file manager.

Then use the copy -pr command recommended by tronayne.
 
Old 11-26-2011, 11:54 AM   #6
jthill
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cd to the source, cd to the destination, cp -Pr "$OLDPWD" . Note the capital P, that's the real copy-symbolic-links-as-is option.

Or tar cC source .| tar xC destination

Or if echo $SHELL says /bin/bash (others have similar-but-different facilities, bash is usual), you can use history expansion. Remember a piece of a command? cp -pr "!?piece?$" . if you want its last argument, or replace $ with :number. Or type history and !number$ will get you the last arg of command "number" in that list.

"man bash" (and then /^HISTORY, in virtually every pager) to find how much you can do with history expansion.

Or ln -s "$(readlink -ne place/i/want/to/remember)" ~/bookmarks/shortname for longterm use, spot="$(that readlink)" for short-term to can use "$spot" in place of "$OLDPWD" above.
 
Old 11-26-2011, 10:15 PM   #7
sungchoiok
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thanks for all the replies! you guys are so kind.
 
  


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