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How does cp -a work
Announcing the arrival of Valued Associate #679: Cesar Manara
Planned maintenance scheduled April 23, 2019 at 23:30 UTC (7:30pm US/Eastern)How does one open a .RTA file?How do I find and copy an arbitrary list of files in terminal?how to copy a file to the desktopHow to copy files from a dead Ubuntu 12.04How to copy only files (.wrk) from multiple directories and subfolders16.04 - Copy Dialog disappears and nothing seems to workcopy does not work in gnome-shelldoes linux docker work better on particular file type?Nature of Permissions - Copy Fails on my Own FilesHow do I copy only files that overwrite others in a directory
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I am trying to understand linux and working through some tutorials. One states that I can copy files to the current directory by using a cp -a
command with a relative pathname such as
cp -a ../somedir/.
It fails each time I run it. Is the syntax incorrect?
I tried the man page, but it didn't seem to find anything that answers my question.
files copy
New contributor
add a comment |
I am trying to understand linux and working through some tutorials. One states that I can copy files to the current directory by using a cp -a
command with a relative pathname such as
cp -a ../somedir/.
It fails each time I run it. Is the syntax incorrect?
I tried the man page, but it didn't seem to find anything that answers my question.
files copy
New contributor
2
you are missing a blank space between somedir and the last dot. See vidarlo 's answer, it is correct. Upvote it! Accept it!
– Henrique
Apr 15 at 20:29
Also something I wish I had known a whole lot earlier when learning Linux & bash is that you can press tab to get autocomplete; press it twice for suggestions.
– rm-vanda
Apr 15 at 20:42
add a comment |
I am trying to understand linux and working through some tutorials. One states that I can copy files to the current directory by using a cp -a
command with a relative pathname such as
cp -a ../somedir/.
It fails each time I run it. Is the syntax incorrect?
I tried the man page, but it didn't seem to find anything that answers my question.
files copy
New contributor
I am trying to understand linux and working through some tutorials. One states that I can copy files to the current directory by using a cp -a
command with a relative pathname such as
cp -a ../somedir/.
It fails each time I run it. Is the syntax incorrect?
I tried the man page, but it didn't seem to find anything that answers my question.
files copy
files copy
New contributor
New contributor
edited Apr 15 at 20:35
zx485
1,48631315
1,48631315
New contributor
asked Apr 15 at 19:57
NodeNewbNodeNewb
182
182
New contributor
New contributor
2
you are missing a blank space between somedir and the last dot. See vidarlo 's answer, it is correct. Upvote it! Accept it!
– Henrique
Apr 15 at 20:29
Also something I wish I had known a whole lot earlier when learning Linux & bash is that you can press tab to get autocomplete; press it twice for suggestions.
– rm-vanda
Apr 15 at 20:42
add a comment |
2
you are missing a blank space between somedir and the last dot. See vidarlo 's answer, it is correct. Upvote it! Accept it!
– Henrique
Apr 15 at 20:29
Also something I wish I had known a whole lot earlier when learning Linux & bash is that you can press tab to get autocomplete; press it twice for suggestions.
– rm-vanda
Apr 15 at 20:42
2
2
you are missing a blank space between somedir and the last dot. See vidarlo 's answer, it is correct. Upvote it! Accept it!
– Henrique
Apr 15 at 20:29
you are missing a blank space between somedir and the last dot. See vidarlo 's answer, it is correct. Upvote it! Accept it!
– Henrique
Apr 15 at 20:29
Also something I wish I had known a whole lot earlier when learning Linux & bash is that you can press tab to get autocomplete; press it twice for suggestions.
– rm-vanda
Apr 15 at 20:42
Also something I wish I had known a whole lot earlier when learning Linux & bash is that you can press tab to get autocomplete; press it twice for suggestions.
– rm-vanda
Apr 15 at 20:42
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
cp -a ../somedir/.
is wrong. The general syntax is
cp source target
You only specified one argument. To copy something to current directory, you can run
cp ../somedir .
Note the space before the dot. .
is shorthand for current directory. ..
is shorthand for parent directory.
+1 but I would have added how-a
maintains last access stamps or something like that :)
– WinEunuuchs2Unix
Apr 15 at 22:55
-a "preserves" everything and recurses. There is a man page for this.
– mckenzm
Apr 16 at 1:52
add a comment |
You can say:
cp -a ../somedir .
if you want to copy the folder it self with its content
Or you can say
cp -a ../somedir/* .
If you want to copy the content of the folder.
the -a
option will try to clone the same file structure with the same file tree to the new location
New contributor
add a comment |
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2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
cp -a ../somedir/.
is wrong. The general syntax is
cp source target
You only specified one argument. To copy something to current directory, you can run
cp ../somedir .
Note the space before the dot. .
is shorthand for current directory. ..
is shorthand for parent directory.
+1 but I would have added how-a
maintains last access stamps or something like that :)
– WinEunuuchs2Unix
Apr 15 at 22:55
-a "preserves" everything and recurses. There is a man page for this.
– mckenzm
Apr 16 at 1:52
add a comment |
cp -a ../somedir/.
is wrong. The general syntax is
cp source target
You only specified one argument. To copy something to current directory, you can run
cp ../somedir .
Note the space before the dot. .
is shorthand for current directory. ..
is shorthand for parent directory.
+1 but I would have added how-a
maintains last access stamps or something like that :)
– WinEunuuchs2Unix
Apr 15 at 22:55
-a "preserves" everything and recurses. There is a man page for this.
– mckenzm
Apr 16 at 1:52
add a comment |
cp -a ../somedir/.
is wrong. The general syntax is
cp source target
You only specified one argument. To copy something to current directory, you can run
cp ../somedir .
Note the space before the dot. .
is shorthand for current directory. ..
is shorthand for parent directory.
cp -a ../somedir/.
is wrong. The general syntax is
cp source target
You only specified one argument. To copy something to current directory, you can run
cp ../somedir .
Note the space before the dot. .
is shorthand for current directory. ..
is shorthand for parent directory.
answered Apr 15 at 20:08
vidarlovidarlo
10.9k52852
10.9k52852
+1 but I would have added how-a
maintains last access stamps or something like that :)
– WinEunuuchs2Unix
Apr 15 at 22:55
-a "preserves" everything and recurses. There is a man page for this.
– mckenzm
Apr 16 at 1:52
add a comment |
+1 but I would have added how-a
maintains last access stamps or something like that :)
– WinEunuuchs2Unix
Apr 15 at 22:55
-a "preserves" everything and recurses. There is a man page for this.
– mckenzm
Apr 16 at 1:52
+1 but I would have added how
-a
maintains last access stamps or something like that :)– WinEunuuchs2Unix
Apr 15 at 22:55
+1 but I would have added how
-a
maintains last access stamps or something like that :)– WinEunuuchs2Unix
Apr 15 at 22:55
-a "preserves" everything and recurses. There is a man page for this.
– mckenzm
Apr 16 at 1:52
-a "preserves" everything and recurses. There is a man page for this.
– mckenzm
Apr 16 at 1:52
add a comment |
You can say:
cp -a ../somedir .
if you want to copy the folder it self with its content
Or you can say
cp -a ../somedir/* .
If you want to copy the content of the folder.
the -a
option will try to clone the same file structure with the same file tree to the new location
New contributor
add a comment |
You can say:
cp -a ../somedir .
if you want to copy the folder it self with its content
Or you can say
cp -a ../somedir/* .
If you want to copy the content of the folder.
the -a
option will try to clone the same file structure with the same file tree to the new location
New contributor
add a comment |
You can say:
cp -a ../somedir .
if you want to copy the folder it self with its content
Or you can say
cp -a ../somedir/* .
If you want to copy the content of the folder.
the -a
option will try to clone the same file structure with the same file tree to the new location
New contributor
You can say:
cp -a ../somedir .
if you want to copy the folder it self with its content
Or you can say
cp -a ../somedir/* .
If you want to copy the content of the folder.
the -a
option will try to clone the same file structure with the same file tree to the new location
New contributor
New contributor
answered Apr 15 at 22:37
sh.alawnehsh.alawneh
1011
1011
New contributor
New contributor
add a comment |
add a comment |
NodeNewb is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
NodeNewb is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
NodeNewb is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
NodeNewb is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
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you are missing a blank space between somedir and the last dot. See vidarlo 's answer, it is correct. Upvote it! Accept it!
– Henrique
Apr 15 at 20:29
Also something I wish I had known a whole lot earlier when learning Linux & bash is that you can press tab to get autocomplete; press it twice for suggestions.
– rm-vanda
Apr 15 at 20:42