Argument list too long


 
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Old 11-21-2014
Quote:
Originally Posted by DGPickett
Is POSIX OK with "mvX OPTIONS DEST_PATH SOURCE_PATH(S)"? I always considered it good form to put the definite (one destination) before the variable (one or more sources).
Some implementations of the mv utility have a -t destination_directory option. When that option is provided, all operands name source files. This option is not in the standards, but is a conforming extension. If your system's mv utility doesn't have that (or a similar) option, you could create your own utility:
Code:
mvx [-options...] destiination source...

Using the name mvX (rather than mvx) violates Utility Syntax Guideline 2 "Utility names should include lowercase letters (the lower character classification) and digits only from the portable character set." For personal use, I see no problem with violating guidelines 1 and 2 (1 is "Utility names should be between two and nine characters, inclusive."), but if you ever wanted your utility to be standardized, it would be better to conform to all fourteen of the guidelines.

Some UNIX geeks would be likely to name this utility vm (as in backwards mv). I prefer the -t destination option concept.
This User Gave Thanks to Don Cragun For This Post:
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