The Copy (cp), Move (mv) and Remove (rm) commands are used to duplicate
the physical storage of a file(s), rename and/or relocate a file(s), and
to delete a file(s). 

cp(1)			- copy files and directory subtrees

mv(1)			- move or rename files and directories

rm(1)			- remove files or directories

mkdir (1)		- make a directory

rm, rmdir (1)		- remove (unlink) files or directories

There are two forms for the cp and mv commands:

cp "source file" "target file"	     cp "source files" "target directory"
mv "source file" "target file"	     mv "source files" "target directory"

Note:				     Note:
exactly 2 arguments, target file     at least 2 arguments, target directory
should not exist.		     must exist. Same names in target directory

The rm command deletes a pointer to the physical storage of an existing file

rm file		# delete file
rm -i file	# babysit	[This is the default flavor on Linux-RK]
rm -f file	# force silently
rm -r directory # delete directory and its contents

The mkdir command creates an empty directory. Create one and look at its
attributes. What is the byte size?  What happens when you create a file
in it? Does the Byte size change? What if you remove the newly created
file - Does the Byte size decrease?

The rmdir command deletes an empty directory. It will complain if it isn't.
Not so for rm -r

$ # Try these commands by modifying them appropriately on your own systems
$ cp /usr/davis/time.sheet davis.time   or  $ cd /usr/davis
					    $ cp time.sheet /usr/ashley

$ cp my.time /usr/davis/ashley.time	    $ cd /usr/davis
				            $ cp /usr/ashley/my.time ashley.time

$ mv my.time /usr/davis/ashley.timeout   $ cd /usr/davis
					 $ mv /usr/ashley/my.time ashley.timeout

$ rm /usr/davis/ashley.timeout		 $ cd /usr/davis
					 $ rm ashley.timeout

$ cp filea fileb filec filed subdir # Copying many files to subdir (same name)
$ mv filea fileb filec subdir # relocating many files to subdir (same name)

$ pwd
/usr/carson
$ mkdir research/newyork
$ cd projects/potential
$ cp ny.articles archive.1900 ../../research/newyork
$ rm ny.articles archive.1900
$ cd ..
$ pwd
/usr/carson/projects
$ rmdir potential

Questions? Robert Katz: rkatz@ned.highline.edu
Last Update June 17, 2003