Exercise 11: Moving a File (mv)

In this exercise you learn how to move a file from one location to another using the mv command.

Do This

Linux/macOS

$ cd temp
$ mv awesome.txt uncool.txt
$ ls
newplace    uncool.txt
$ mv newplace oldplace
$ ls
oldplace    uncool.txt
$ mv oldplace newplace
$ ls
newplace   uncool.txt
$

Windows

> cd temp
> mv awesome.txt uncool.txt
> ls


    Directory: C:\Users\zed\temp


Mode                LastWriteTime     Length Name
----                -------------     ------ ----
d----        12/22/2011   4:52 PM            newplace
d----        12/22/2011   4:52 PM            something
-a---        12/22/2011   4:49 PM          0 iamcool.txt
-a---        12/22/2011   4:49 PM          0 neat.txt
-a---        12/22/2011   4:49 PM          0 thefourthfile.txt
-a---        12/22/2011   4:49 PM          0 uncool.txt


> mv newplace oldplace
> ls


    Directory: C:\Users\zed\temp


Mode                LastWriteTime     Length Name
----                -------------     ------ ----
d----        12/22/2011   4:52 PM            oldplace
d----        12/22/2011   4:52 PM            something
-a---        12/22/2011   4:49 PM          0 iamcool.txt
-a---        12/22/2011   4:49 PM          0 neat.txt
-a---        12/22/2011   4:49 PM          0 thefourthfile.txt
-a---        12/22/2011   4:49 PM          0 uncool.txt


> mv oldplace newplace
> ls newplace


    Directory: C:\Users\zed\temp\newplace


Mode                LastWriteTime     Length Name
----                -------------     ------ ----
-a---        12/22/2011   4:49 PM          0 awesome.txt


> ls


    Directory: C:\Users\zed\temp


Mode                LastWriteTime     Length Name
----                -------------     ------ ----
d----        12/22/2011   4:52 PM            newplace
d----        12/22/2011   4:52 PM            something
-a---        12/22/2011   4:49 PM          0 iamcool.txt
-a---        12/22/2011   4:49 PM          0 neat.txt
-a---        12/22/2011   4:49 PM          0 thefourthfile.txt
-a---        12/22/2011   4:49 PM          0 uncool.txt


>

You Learned This

Moving files or, rather, renaming them. It's easy: give the old name and the new name.

Do More

  • Move a file in the newplace directory to another directory, then move it back.

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