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I have this problem as part of a school assignment:

screenshot

NOTE: In case it's hard to read in the image above, here's the directory tree:

$ tree . `-- sample_dir1 `-- sample_dir |-- admin |-- cambridge | |-- cafeteria | |-- library | `-- security | |-- annex | |-- building | `-- parking |-- faculty |-- history.exe |-- markham | |-- annex | |-- building1 | `-- parking |-- oxford | |-- outline.doc | |-- programming | | `-- report.pdf | `-- security `-- stenton |-- gen_ed `-- lib_arts |-- english.txt `-- match.doc 15 directories, 11 files

I tried doing the command:

$ cp ../cambridge/security/parking ./parking2

...but it isn't working. The question in the image above states that the current directory is stenton, and that we need to make a copy of the file named parking (from the security directory), and to name the new file parking2, and place it in the current directory, stenton, using relative pathnames.

What am I doing wrong? My cp command seems to be correct.

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  • yes an assignment ^^ stuck on this questions for 1 day now Commented Oct 15, 2014 at 20:46
  • man7.org/linux/man-pages/man1/cp.1.html Commented Oct 15, 2014 at 20:47
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    @user88022 Sorry for the rough introduction you got here. Not knowing about embedding images is understandable for a new user, but you should explain what you've tried (and how it failed) when asking for help. Commented Oct 15, 2014 at 23:43
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    This is ULI101 at Seneca College, which we get year after year. All assignments "MUST consist of the student’s OWN work". Commented Oct 22, 2016 at 1:52

2 Answers 2

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The problem you're running into seems to be with your homework program.

From your comment on the other answer, you tried:

cp ../cambridge/security/parking ./parking2

This is a perfectly valid command in a normal shell. However the issue is likely that your testing program doesn't want the ./ on the ./parking2.

When specifying the path to a file (with virtually any program, not just cp), if there is no leading / on the path, it implicitly becomes ./. So you should be good if you change your command to:

cp ../cambridge/security/parking parking2
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This is a very elementary question. I would read up on the man pages for this one. But nonetheless, here is your answer:

cp <SOURCE> .

For example:

I have a file in this directory: /home/rkah/sample1 The file is called: sample

Say if I wanted to go to my home directory which is: /home/rkah/ and copy sample to /home/rkah/, I would run this command:

cp ~/sample/sample . The . symbol stands for present working directory or the directory im currently in.

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    ive tried that cp ../cambridge/security/parking ./parking2 it doesnt work Commented Oct 15, 2014 at 20:49
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    @user88022 that command should work, but your software testing you may be sensitive to ./parking2 since a relative path isn't required to reference the current directory. Commented Oct 15, 2014 at 20:53
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    @user88022 because not specifying a directory means to use the current directory. It is implicit. Commented Oct 15, 2014 at 20:56
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    @ryekayo he had to copy a file from location1 to location2 with a new name, his first command was right, but he is not in a real shell but a testing software that wants a very specific answer and did not need the ./ to reference the current directory for his destination filename. Commented Oct 15, 2014 at 20:57
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    @ryekayo its ok, but realize that his first command you claim is wrong is completely valid for what he wants to do if he were in a real shell. You misread the question (reading the title and not the actual problem within the image he posted). Commented Oct 15, 2014 at 20:59

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