{:check ["true"], :rank ["cp" "mv" "rm" "summary"]}

Index

Working With Files

Cp

Copy `cp` command

Let's start with copying a single file.
Let's start with the most general syntax:
```
$ cp <source> <target>
```
split=8
```
$ cp ./assignment_1/report.pdf ./assignment_2/report.pdf
```
Here we copy the report for assignment 1 as the report for assignment 2.
Copy a file to some directory.

The <target> can be a directory, in which case, cp will make a copy of the source file in that directory with the same file name.

Copy multiple files to some directory.

$ cp <source_1> <source_2> <source_3> <target>

Copy a directory to another directory.

$ cp -r <source_directory> <target_directory>

The target directory ambiguity:

box

cp has different behaviour depending on whether the target directory exists.

Consider the command:
```
$ cp -r ../report/ ./my_files
```
- CASE (1): if ./my_files does not exist.
  
  cp will create ./my_files, and then copy all files and directories (recursively) under ../reports/ to ./my_files.
- CASE (2): if ./my_files already exists.
  
  cp will copy all files and directories to ./my_files/reports.
- The -T option will always ensure that cp behaves cas in CASE (1).

Mv

Moving files using `mv`

Moving single file
```
$ mv <source_file> <target_file>
```
Examples:
split=8
```
\$ mv my_report.pdf ~/work/report.pdf
```
```
\$ mv my_report.pdf report.pdf
```
We can use this to move a file to a new location, or use it to rename a file.

Moving files to target directory

$ mv <source_1> <source_2> ... <target_directory>

The target directory ambiguity

box

mv has the same target directory ambiguity behaviour that cp suffers from.

It also supports the -T option to suppress the target directory ambiguity.

Rm

Removing files or directories

Removing one or more files
```
$ rm <file_1> <file_2> ...
```
Removing an empty directory
```
$ rmdir <directory>
```
Removing non-empty directory
split=8
```
$ rm -r <directory>
```
This deletes all contents in the directory, and then the directory itself.