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How does cp -a work
Announcing the arrival of Valued Associate #679: Cesar Manara
Planned maintenance scheduled April 17/18, 2019 at 00:00UTC (8:00pm 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
edited 3 hours ago
zx485
1,47131315
asked 3 hours ago
NodeNewbNodeNewb
111
New contributor
NodeNewb is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
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
edited 3 hours ago
zx485
1,47131315
asked 3 hours ago
NodeNewbNodeNewb
111
New contributor
NodeNewb is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
1
you are missing a blank space between somedir and the last dot. See vidarlo 's answer, it is correct. Upvote it! Accept it!
– Henrique
3 hours ago
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
3 hours ago
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
edited 3 hours ago
zx485
1,47131315
asked 3 hours ago
NodeNewbNodeNewb
111
New contributor
NodeNewb is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
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
edited 3 hours ago
zx485
1,47131315
asked 3 hours ago
NodeNewbNodeNewb
111
New contributor
NodeNewb is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited 3 hours ago
zx485
1,47131315
asked 3 hours ago
NodeNewbNodeNewb
111
New contributor
NodeNewb is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited 3 hours ago
zx485
1,47131315
edited 3 hours ago
zx485
1,47131315
edited 3 hours ago
zx485
1,47131315
1,47131315
asked 3 hours ago
NodeNewbNodeNewb
111
New contributor
NodeNewb is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 3 hours ago
NodeNewbNodeNewb
111
asked 3 hours ago
NodeNewbNodeNewb
111
111
New contributor
NodeNewb is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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New contributor
NodeNewb is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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NodeNewb is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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1
you are missing a blank space between somedir and the last dot. See vidarlo 's answer, it is correct. Upvote it! Accept it!
– Henrique
3 hours ago
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
3 hours ago
add a comment |
1
you are missing a blank space between somedir and the last dot. See vidarlo 's answer, it is correct. Upvote it! Accept it!
– Henrique
3 hours ago
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
3 hours ago
1
1
you are missing a blank space between somedir and the last dot. See vidarlo 's answer, it is correct. Upvote it! Accept it!
– Henrique
3 hours ago
you are missing a blank space between somedir and the last dot. See vidarlo 's answer, it is correct. Upvote it! Accept it!
– Henrique
3 hours ago
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
3 hours ago
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
3 hours ago
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.
answered 3 hours ago
vidarlovidarlo
10.7k52852
+1 but I would have added how-amaintains last access stamps or something like that :)
– WinEunuuchs2Unix
50 mins ago
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
answered 1 hour ago
sh.alawnehsh.alawneh
11
New contributor
sh.alawneh is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
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.
answered 3 hours ago
vidarlovidarlo
10.7k52852
+1 but I would have added how-amaintains last access stamps or something like that :)
– WinEunuuchs2Unix
50 mins ago
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.
answered 3 hours ago
vidarlovidarlo
10.7k52852
+1 but I would have added how-amaintains last access stamps or something like that :)
– WinEunuuchs2Unix
50 mins ago
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.
answered 3 hours ago
vidarlovidarlo
10.7k52852
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 3 hours ago
vidarlovidarlo
10.7k52852
answered 3 hours ago
vidarlovidarlo
10.7k52852
answered 3 hours ago
vidarlovidarlo
10.7k52852
answered 3 hours ago
vidarlovidarlo
10.7k52852
10.7k52852
+1 but I would have added how-amaintains last access stamps or something like that :)
– WinEunuuchs2Unix
50 mins ago
add a comment |
+1 but I would have added how-amaintains last access stamps or something like that :)
– WinEunuuchs2Unix
50 mins ago
+1 but I would have added how
-a maintains last access stamps or something like that :)– WinEunuuchs2Unix
50 mins ago
+1 but I would have added how
-a maintains last access stamps or something like that :)– WinEunuuchs2Unix
50 mins ago
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
answered 1 hour ago
sh.alawnehsh.alawneh
11
New contributor
sh.alawneh is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
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
answered 1 hour ago
sh.alawnehsh.alawneh
11
New contributor
sh.alawneh is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
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
answered 1 hour ago
sh.alawnehsh.alawneh
11
New contributor
sh.alawneh is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
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
answered 1 hour ago
sh.alawnehsh.alawneh
11
New contributor
sh.alawneh is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered 1 hour ago
sh.alawnehsh.alawneh
11
New contributor
sh.alawneh is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered 1 hour ago
sh.alawnehsh.alawneh
11
answered 1 hour ago
sh.alawnehsh.alawneh
11
11
New contributor
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New contributor
sh.alawneh is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
sh.alawneh is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
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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1
you are missing a blank space between somedir and the last dot. See vidarlo 's answer, it is correct. Upvote it! Accept it!
– Henrique
3 hours ago
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
3 hours ago