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Clarify cp behavior #1513

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Clarify cp behavior #1513

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Clarify `cp` behavior
katrinabrock Oct 31, 2025
ee30161
Update based on review comments
katrinabrock Nov 3, 2025
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15 changes: 9 additions & 6 deletions episodes/03-create.md
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Expand Up @@ -697,8 +697,10 @@ or sets of characters when navigating the Unix file system.

For this exercise, you can test the commands in the `shell-lesson-data/exercise-data` directory.

We have seen how `cp` behaves when given two arguments,
but `cp` behaves differently when given three or more arguments.
We have seen how `cp` behaves when given two arguments. The second argument can
be a filename (what to name the copy) or an existing directory (where to put the copy).

`cp` behaves slightly differently when given three or more arguments.
Let's try giving `cp` three arguments.
In the example below, what does `cp` do when given several filenames and a directory name?

Expand Down Expand Up @@ -726,11 +728,12 @@ $ cp minotaur.dat unicorn.dat basilisk.dat

## Solution

When `cp` is given two arguments and the second is a destination directory
`cp` copies the files to the destination directory.
Comment on lines -729 to -730
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@bkmgit bkmgit Oct 31, 2025

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It is helpful to distinguish between two and three arguments because for two arguments, if the second argument is not a directory but a filename, then the first file is copied and renamed.

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@katrinabrock katrinabrock Nov 3, 2025

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Ok. Current text does not do this, but I agree it would be good to add. Maybe even in the main text rather than nested inside a challenge and solution.

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@bkmgit bkmgit Nov 12, 2025

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Having it in the main text is a good idea.

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@bkmgit bkmgit Nov 12, 2025

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Perhaps move this out of the challenge block and make it something that is demonstrated.

When `cp` is given three or more arguments,
the last argument must be a directory.
`cp` copies the other files specified
into that directory. If the last argument
is a file name, you get an error:

If given three or more arguments, `cp` throws an error such as the one below,
because it is expecting a destination directory name as the last argument.

```error
cp: target 'basilisk.dat' is not a directory
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