GNU “install” -d flag — how's it work?
I'm trying to write a makefile rule to copy a directory, maintaining its structure, and since all the other rules in our makefiles use install, I wanted to be consistent.
In the manpage, it says:
SYNOPSIS
install [OPTION]... [-T] SOURCE DEST
install [OPTION]... SOURCE... DIRECTORY
install [OPTION]... -t DIRECTORY SOURCE...
install [OPTION]... -d DIRECTORY...
-d, --directory
treat all arguments as directory names; create all components of
the specified directories
OK, that sounds like what I need... but the flags don't make sense. How do you specify the destination directory to install to?
I tried doing a basic test by making an arbitrary directory structure on my local hard disk:
~>tree test
test
├── a
│ └── b
│ └── c
│ └── e.txt
└── d
4 directories, 1 file
And then running install -d and looking at what was created:
~>install -d test test2
~>tree test2
test2
0 directories, 0 files
Nothing happened!
Can anyone point me in the right direction? Googling "gnu install -d flag" isn't bringing me much.
coreutils
edited Oct 22 '14 at 16:16
derobert
74.5k8162216
asked Sep 22 '11 at 15:30
ashgromniesashgromnies
411148
add a comment |
I'm trying to write a makefile rule to copy a directory, maintaining its structure, and since all the other rules in our makefiles use install, I wanted to be consistent.
In the manpage, it says:
SYNOPSIS
install [OPTION]... [-T] SOURCE DEST
install [OPTION]... SOURCE... DIRECTORY
install [OPTION]... -t DIRECTORY SOURCE...
install [OPTION]... -d DIRECTORY...
-d, --directory
treat all arguments as directory names; create all components of
the specified directories
OK, that sounds like what I need... but the flags don't make sense. How do you specify the destination directory to install to?
I tried doing a basic test by making an arbitrary directory structure on my local hard disk:
~>tree test
test
├── a
│ └── b
│ └── c
│ └── e.txt
└── d
4 directories, 1 file
And then running install -d and looking at what was created:
~>install -d test test2
~>tree test2
test2
0 directories, 0 files
Nothing happened!
Can anyone point me in the right direction? Googling "gnu install -d flag" isn't bringing me much.
coreutils
edited Oct 22 '14 at 16:16
derobert
74.5k8162216
asked Sep 22 '11 at 15:30
ashgromniesashgromnies
411148
add a comment |
I'm trying to write a makefile rule to copy a directory, maintaining its structure, and since all the other rules in our makefiles use install, I wanted to be consistent.
In the manpage, it says:
SYNOPSIS
install [OPTION]... [-T] SOURCE DEST
install [OPTION]... SOURCE... DIRECTORY
install [OPTION]... -t DIRECTORY SOURCE...
install [OPTION]... -d DIRECTORY...
-d, --directory
treat all arguments as directory names; create all components of
the specified directories
OK, that sounds like what I need... but the flags don't make sense. How do you specify the destination directory to install to?
I tried doing a basic test by making an arbitrary directory structure on my local hard disk:
~>tree test
test
├── a
│ └── b
│ └── c
│ └── e.txt
└── d
4 directories, 1 file
And then running install -d and looking at what was created:
~>install -d test test2
~>tree test2
test2
0 directories, 0 files
Nothing happened!
Can anyone point me in the right direction? Googling "gnu install -d flag" isn't bringing me much.
coreutils
edited Oct 22 '14 at 16:16
derobert
74.5k8162216
asked Sep 22 '11 at 15:30
ashgromniesashgromnies
411148
I'm trying to write a makefile rule to copy a directory, maintaining its structure, and since all the other rules in our makefiles use install, I wanted to be consistent.
In the manpage, it says:
SYNOPSIS
install [OPTION]... [-T] SOURCE DEST
install [OPTION]... SOURCE... DIRECTORY
install [OPTION]... -t DIRECTORY SOURCE...
install [OPTION]... -d DIRECTORY...
-d, --directory
treat all arguments as directory names; create all components of
the specified directories
OK, that sounds like what I need... but the flags don't make sense. How do you specify the destination directory to install to?
I tried doing a basic test by making an arbitrary directory structure on my local hard disk:
~>tree test
test
├── a
│ └── b
│ └── c
│ └── e.txt
└── d
4 directories, 1 file
And then running install -d and looking at what was created:
~>install -d test test2
~>tree test2
test2
0 directories, 0 files
Nothing happened!
Can anyone point me in the right direction? Googling "gnu install -d flag" isn't bringing me much.
coreutils
coreutils
edited Oct 22 '14 at 16:16
derobert
74.5k8162216
asked Sep 22 '11 at 15:30
ashgromniesashgromnies
411148
edited Oct 22 '14 at 16:16
derobert
74.5k8162216
asked Sep 22 '11 at 15:30
ashgromniesashgromnies
411148
edited Oct 22 '14 at 16:16
derobert
74.5k8162216
edited Oct 22 '14 at 16:16
derobert
74.5k8162216
edited Oct 22 '14 at 16:16
derobert
74.5k8162216
74.5k8162216
asked Sep 22 '11 at 15:30
ashgromniesashgromnies
411148
asked Sep 22 '11 at 15:30
ashgromniesashgromnies
411148
asked Sep 22 '11 at 15:30
ashgromniesashgromnies
411148
411148
add a comment |
add a comment |
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
It looks like the install -D command is actually what I want.
Manpage:
-D create all leading components of DEST except the last, then copy SOURCE to DEST
Works great, except you have to specify every file individually.
answered Sep 22 '11 at 15:48
ashgromniesashgromnies
411148
8
I was excited right up until the end, "you have to specify every file individually". Guess I'll stick withcp -r
– dtmland
Jul 8 '15 at 20:11
5
Does the install command have an equivalent tocp -r?
– Alexander
Jul 8 '16 at 10:53
add a comment |
install -d is just used to create directories. You told it to create two directories, test and test2. test already existed, so all it needed to do was make test2. I don't think install supports copying entire directory trees; it's normally used on files. You probably need to use cp
answered Sep 22 '11 at 15:44
Michael Mrozek♦Michael Mrozek
61.7k29192211
2
Basically,install -dis the same asmkdirexcept that you can specify the mode, owner, SELinux context, and group all at once.
– ZiggyTheHamster
Aug 28 '17 at 19:40
add a comment |
Usually what you want is to install files at right folder, without repeating your self. You can use find and install to help to keep your installation scripts more DRY
find SOURCE/ -type f -exec install -vDm 755 {} THERE/{} ;
answered 39 mins ago
geckosgeckos
1412
add a comment |
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3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
It looks like the install -D command is actually what I want.
Manpage:
-D create all leading components of DEST except the last, then copy SOURCE to DEST
Works great, except you have to specify every file individually.
answered Sep 22 '11 at 15:48
ashgromniesashgromnies
411148
8
I was excited right up until the end, "you have to specify every file individually". Guess I'll stick withcp -r
– dtmland
Jul 8 '15 at 20:11
5
Does the install command have an equivalent tocp -r?
– Alexander
Jul 8 '16 at 10:53
add a comment |
It looks like the install -D command is actually what I want.
Manpage:
-D create all leading components of DEST except the last, then copy SOURCE to DEST
Works great, except you have to specify every file individually.
answered Sep 22 '11 at 15:48
ashgromniesashgromnies
411148
8
I was excited right up until the end, "you have to specify every file individually". Guess I'll stick withcp -r
– dtmland
Jul 8 '15 at 20:11
5
Does the install command have an equivalent tocp -r?
– Alexander
Jul 8 '16 at 10:53
add a comment |
It looks like the install -D command is actually what I want.
Manpage:
-D create all leading components of DEST except the last, then copy SOURCE to DEST
Works great, except you have to specify every file individually.
answered Sep 22 '11 at 15:48
ashgromniesashgromnies
411148
It looks like the install -D command is actually what I want.
Manpage:
-D create all leading components of DEST except the last, then copy SOURCE to DEST
Works great, except you have to specify every file individually.
answered Sep 22 '11 at 15:48
ashgromniesashgromnies
411148
answered Sep 22 '11 at 15:48
ashgromniesashgromnies
411148
answered Sep 22 '11 at 15:48
ashgromniesashgromnies
411148
answered Sep 22 '11 at 15:48
ashgromniesashgromnies
411148
411148
8
I was excited right up until the end, "you have to specify every file individually". Guess I'll stick withcp -r
– dtmland
Jul 8 '15 at 20:11
5
Does the install command have an equivalent tocp -r?
– Alexander
Jul 8 '16 at 10:53
add a comment |
8
I was excited right up until the end, "you have to specify every file individually". Guess I'll stick withcp -r
– dtmland
Jul 8 '15 at 20:11
5
Does the install command have an equivalent tocp -r?
– Alexander
Jul 8 '16 at 10:53
8
8
I was excited right up until the end, "you have to specify every file individually". Guess I'll stick with
cp -r– dtmland
Jul 8 '15 at 20:11
I was excited right up until the end, "you have to specify every file individually". Guess I'll stick with
cp -r– dtmland
Jul 8 '15 at 20:11
5
5
Does the install command have an equivalent to
cp -r?– Alexander
Jul 8 '16 at 10:53
Does the install command have an equivalent to
cp -r?– Alexander
Jul 8 '16 at 10:53
add a comment |
install -d is just used to create directories. You told it to create two directories, test and test2. test already existed, so all it needed to do was make test2. I don't think install supports copying entire directory trees; it's normally used on files. You probably need to use cp
answered Sep 22 '11 at 15:44
Michael Mrozek♦Michael Mrozek
61.7k29192211
2
Basically,install -dis the same asmkdirexcept that you can specify the mode, owner, SELinux context, and group all at once.
– ZiggyTheHamster
Aug 28 '17 at 19:40
add a comment |
install -d is just used to create directories. You told it to create two directories, test and test2. test already existed, so all it needed to do was make test2. I don't think install supports copying entire directory trees; it's normally used on files. You probably need to use cp
answered Sep 22 '11 at 15:44
Michael Mrozek♦Michael Mrozek
61.7k29192211
2
Basically,install -dis the same asmkdirexcept that you can specify the mode, owner, SELinux context, and group all at once.
– ZiggyTheHamster
Aug 28 '17 at 19:40
add a comment |
install -d is just used to create directories. You told it to create two directories, test and test2. test already existed, so all it needed to do was make test2. I don't think install supports copying entire directory trees; it's normally used on files. You probably need to use cp
answered Sep 22 '11 at 15:44
Michael Mrozek♦Michael Mrozek
61.7k29192211
install -d is just used to create directories. You told it to create two directories, test and test2. test already existed, so all it needed to do was make test2. I don't think install supports copying entire directory trees; it's normally used on files. You probably need to use cp
answered Sep 22 '11 at 15:44
Michael Mrozek♦Michael Mrozek
61.7k29192211
answered Sep 22 '11 at 15:44
Michael Mrozek♦Michael Mrozek
61.7k29192211
answered Sep 22 '11 at 15:44
Michael Mrozek♦Michael Mrozek
61.7k29192211
answered Sep 22 '11 at 15:44
Michael Mrozek♦Michael Mrozek
61.7k29192211
61.7k29192211
2
Basically,install -dis the same asmkdirexcept that you can specify the mode, owner, SELinux context, and group all at once.
– ZiggyTheHamster
Aug 28 '17 at 19:40
add a comment |
2
Basically,install -dis the same asmkdirexcept that you can specify the mode, owner, SELinux context, and group all at once.
– ZiggyTheHamster
Aug 28 '17 at 19:40
2
2
Basically,
install -d is the same as mkdir except that you can specify the mode, owner, SELinux context, and group all at once.– ZiggyTheHamster
Aug 28 '17 at 19:40
Basically,
install -d is the same as mkdir except that you can specify the mode, owner, SELinux context, and group all at once.– ZiggyTheHamster
Aug 28 '17 at 19:40
add a comment |
Usually what you want is to install files at right folder, without repeating your self. You can use find and install to help to keep your installation scripts more DRY
find SOURCE/ -type f -exec install -vDm 755 {} THERE/{} ;
answered 39 mins ago
geckosgeckos
1412
add a comment |
Usually what you want is to install files at right folder, without repeating your self. You can use find and install to help to keep your installation scripts more DRY
find SOURCE/ -type f -exec install -vDm 755 {} THERE/{} ;
answered 39 mins ago
geckosgeckos
1412
add a comment |
Usually what you want is to install files at right folder, without repeating your self. You can use find and install to help to keep your installation scripts more DRY
find SOURCE/ -type f -exec install -vDm 755 {} THERE/{} ;
answered 39 mins ago
geckosgeckos
1412
Usually what you want is to install files at right folder, without repeating your self. You can use find and install to help to keep your installation scripts more DRY
find SOURCE/ -type f -exec install -vDm 755 {} THERE/{} ;
answered 39 mins ago
geckosgeckos
1412
answered 39 mins ago
geckosgeckos
1412
answered 39 mins ago
geckosgeckos
1412
answered 39 mins ago
geckosgeckos
1412
1412
add a comment |
add a comment |
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