Linux manual pages Section 1: General Commands  

Name

mv — move (rename) files

Synopsis

mv [OPTION...] [−T] SOURCE DEST

mv [OPTION...] SOURCE... DIRECTORY

mv [OPTION...] −t DIRECTORY SOURCE...

DESCRIPTION

Rename SOURCE to DEST, or move SOURCE(s) to DIRECTORY.

Mandatory arguments to long options are mandatory for short options too.

−−backup[=CONTROL]

make a backup of each existing destination file

−b

like −−backup but does not accept an argument

−f, −−force

do not prompt before overwriting

−i, −−interactive

prompt before overwrite

−n, −−no−clobber

do not overwrite an existing file

If you specify more than one of −i, −f, −n, only the final one takes effect.

−−strip−trailing−slashes

remove any trailing slashes from each SOURCE argument

−S, −−suffix=SUFFIX

override the usual backup suffix

−t, −−target−directory=DIRECTORY

move all SOURCE arguments into DIRECTORY

−T, −−no−target−directory

treat DEST as a normal file

−u, −−update

move only when the SOURCE file is newer than the destination file or when the destination file is missing

−v, −−verbose

explain what is being done

−−help

display this help and exit

−−version

output version information and exit

The backup suffix is '~', unless set with −−suffix or SIMPLE_BACKUP_SUFFIX. The version control method may be selected via the −−backup option or through the VERSION_CONTROL environment variable. Here are the values:

none, off

never make backups (even if −−backup is given)

numbered, t

make numbered backups

existing, nil

numbered if numbered backups exist, simple otherwise

simple, never

always make simple backups

AUTHOR

Written by Mike Parker, David MacKenzie, and Jim Meyering.

REPORTING BUGS

Report mv bugs to bug−coreutils@gnu.org

GNU coreutils home page: <http://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/>

General help using GNU software: <http://www.gnu.org/gethelp/>

Report mv translation bugs to <http://translationproject.org/team/>

SEE ALSO

rename(2)

The full documentation for mv is maintained as a Texinfo manual. If the info and mv programs are properly installed at your site, the command

  • info coreutils 'mv invocation'

should give you access to the complete manual.

COPYRIGHT

Copyright © 2013 Free Software Foundation, Inc. License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later <http://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>.

This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it. There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.