mv the contents of one directory to the parent directory

warkrime · 07-14-2003, 03:30 PM

I'm determined to learn how to use the shell. I can't figure out how to move the contents of a directory to the parent directory though. This is what happens when I try what I think will do the trick:

Code:

[root@localhost misc]# ls vgafonts|mv /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/misc/vgafonts /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/misc
mv: `/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/misc/vgafonts' and `/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/misc/vgafonts' are the same file
[root@localhost misc]#

trickykid · 07-14-2003, 03:46 PM

Well, your trying to move vgafonts that is in /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/misc/ to /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/misc/ in which it already resides in.

What directory are you trying to move them to specifically? Your command your trying to move them to the same directory they already reside in.

warkrime · 07-14-2003, 04:33 PM

I'm trying to move the files inside the directory /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/misc/vgafonts to /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/misc.

trickykid · 07-14-2003, 04:36 PM

Oh so any files in vgafonts that are in the misc directory, you want moved out of vgafonts and into misc? Use the wildcard to select all files with a * like this:

Code:

mv /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/misc/vgafonts/* /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/misc/

Without the /* at the end of /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/misc/vgafonts your trying to actually move the whole directory of vgafonts to misc, where it already resides. Hope it makes sense to you now to accomplish the move?

warkrime · 07-14-2003, 07:03 PM

OK I was overthinking the problem by trying to use ls. Thanks.