Message-ID: <5082FCE5.8040703@redhat.com>
Date: Sat, 20 Oct 2012 13:35:01 -0600
From: Eric Blake <eblake AT redhat DOT com>
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Subject: Re: Cp can't hardlink unqualified wildcard
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On 10/20/2012 12:50 PM, Lawrence Mayer wrote:
> Cp can't hardlink unqualified wildcard
>=20
> cp -l * DIRECTORY
>=20
> fails with error 'cp: target `file' is not a directory'

Most likely, this is not an error in cp, but a misunderstanding on your
part about how globbing operates.  I bet you have a file in your current
directory whose name starts with '-', and is thus being treated as an
option by cp.

>=20
> But the equivalent
>=20
> cp -l ./* DIRECTORY

No, that's not quite equivalent - it guarantees that the glob won't be
mis-handled as an option.  Likewise,

cp -l -- * DIRECTORY

will avoid treating the glob as an option.  Not only that, but this is a
FAQ:
https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/faq/#I-have-a-file-_0027_002df_0027-=
and-it-affects-rm_002e

>=20
> AND
>=20
> cp -l PATH OF WORKING DIRECTORY/* DIRECTORY

Sorry, but that's not what you typed.  It helps to show actual examples
when claiming you have a bug.


--=20
Eric Blake   eblake AT redhat DOT com    +1-919-301-3266
Libvirt virtualization library http://libvirt.org


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