Shell Scripting text file creation issue

AiresTheBold · 02-16-2011, 09:19 AM

Hi all.

I'm just starting out with shell-scripting, but having a problem with making new text files with the touch or cat > commands.

What I've been doing is

touch testfile1.txt

Also, I've tried

cat > testfile1.txt
(text)

Regardless, console reports "bash: text1.txt: No such file or directory.
Consfusingly, it works fine in the home-directory. But if I move the file to where I want it, I can no longer view, edit, etc. it.

What am I doing wrong?

colucix · 02-16-2011, 09:27 AM

Well, you can create the file exactly where you want it specifying the full path, e.g.

Code:

touch /path/to/some/dir/testfile1.txt

but you need writing permissions for the destination directory. If it is in your HOME or in /tmp you have no problem, otherwise you should acquire root's privileges to write into system directories or into other users' HOME.