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Update / overwrite files and directories recursively with Linux mv - cp commands

Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 03/19/2009 - 18:05

Update / overwrite files and directories recursively with Linux mv - cp commands

You want to update / upgrade your system. Its not easy as you think to copy or move new files with overwriting old files on linux. I know you think "--force" will help you, but not here!

With move command 'mv' it was not possible to update all files and directories. Therefore we use copy command 'cp'.

#mv new/files/* files or #mv -f new/files/* files
mv: cannot overwrite directory ...

#cp -af new/files/* files
cp: overwrite '...'?

You have type "yes" many times.

The solution:

#yes | cp -a new/files/* files
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Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 04/17/2009 - 15:34.

"cp -a src/* dest" does not copy hidden files like .htaccess on top level. Try again with cp -a src/.* dest

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 06/23/2009 - 14:06.

To not overwrite:

no | cp -a new/files/* files
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 02/25/2010 - 14:10.

Actually, it's better to edit your .bashrc - and put these lines there:

#ask before overwriting files
alias rm='rm -i'
alias mv='mv -i'
alias cp='cp -i -v'

It just means that everytime you type the cp command it will always ask if you want to -i (overwrite it?) -v (and be verbose about it)

Great article! Thanks.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 01/16/2011 - 16:40.

I am trying it on ubuntu but I dont asked to overwrite etc...

Submitted by Pramod (not verified) on Sat, 09/03/2011 - 15:04.

Thanks
This is very useful
command at the end of copy ...
many file in a same time in linux....

thanks & regards

Pramod

Submitted by Nic (not verified) on Tue, 05/15/2012 - 16:38.

Another option is to temporarily disable the alias that enables interactive copying/moving.

cp=cp
mv=mv

Then -f will actually work, I believe.

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