Cp: missing file operand


 
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# 1  
Old 12-02-2013
Cp: missing file operand

Why cp: missing file operand? What "cp" parameter i need to add or whats wrong please?

Code:
domlistexp=domlistexp
domlistexp_bak=domlistexp_bak
touch $domlistexp
rm -rf $domlistexp_bak
cp $domlistexp $domlistexp_bak

output:
Code:
+ rm -rf domlist_bak
+ cp
cp: missing file operand
Try `cp --help' for more information.


Last edited by bartus11; 12-02-2013 at 08:57 AM.. Reason: code tags
# 2  
Old 12-02-2013
Please put code and/or output in CODE tags. It makes it much easier to read.
Code:
domlistexp=domlistexp
domlistexp_bak=domlistexp_bak
touch $domlistexp
rm -rf $domlistexp_bak
cp $domlistexp $domlistexp_bak

output:
+ rm -rf domlist_bak
+ cp
cp: missing file operand
Try `cp --help' for more information.

I must say that it works fine for me on the ksh command line (HP-UX 11.11, AIX 5.1 and RHEL 6.3)

It works fine if I put it in a script and call it with ksh -x myscript too:-
Code:
hp8:/home/RBATTE1> cat myscript 
domlistexp=domlistexp
domlistexp_bak=domlistexp_bak
touch $domlistexp
rm -rf $domlistexp_bak
cp $domlistexp $domlistexp_bak

hp8:/home/RBATTE1> ls -l dom*
dom* not found

hp8:/home/RBATTE1> ksh -x myscript 
+ domlistexp=domlistexp
+ domlistexp_bak=domlistexp_bak
+ touch domlistexp
+ rm -rf domlistexp_bak
+ cp domlistexp domlistexp_bak
hp8:/home/RBATTE1> ls -l dom*
-rw-------   1 RBATTE1    users            0 Dec  2 12:00 domlistexp
-rw-------   1 RBATTE1    users            0 Dec  2 12:00 domlistexp_bak
hp8:/home/RBATTE1>

Can you elaborate a little? How are you running it?



Robin
Liverpool/Blackburn
UK
# 3  
Old 12-02-2013
Are you sure you have the right variable names?

Your trace output doesn't exactly match what your example code should produce (there is no domlist_bak).
This User Gave Thanks to CarloM For This Post:
# 4  
Old 12-02-2013
yes, im sure, i checked many times
# 5  
Old 12-02-2013
As Carlos opinted, this:
Code:
output:
+ rm -rf domlist_bak

Is quite confusing, since its not what you show in first part of code...
Since, it seems that your rm was void, the file $domlistexp_bak still present leading a cp messages "missing operand" ( since file exist it needs a -f ...)
This User Gave Thanks to vbe For This Post:
# 6  
Old 12-02-2013
Thank you, i think it was an undefined variable that i tried to use. (i mean i called $variable , but not defined it before).

SOLVED

thx all who tried to help
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