move multiple directories in one directory - recursively

directory mv move

9,027

Solution 1

Assuming that "Main Directory"/Test exists:

mv "Main Directory"/Sub[1-3] "Main Directory"/Test

The only thing happening here is that you move the directories into the Test directory. The files in Sub1, Sub2 and Sub3 will still be available in those same directories, but now under the new path "Main Directory"/Test/Sub1 etc.

With updated information in the comments below, assuming bash is used as the shell:

mkdir -p "Main Directory"/Test
mv "Main Directory"/episode_{0000..0049} "Main Directory"/Test

The brace expansion "Main Directory"/episode_{0000..0049} would expand to Main Directory/episode_0000 Main Directory/episode_0001 ... Main Directory/episode_0049.

Solution 2

You can also do this using -t flag with the mv command.

The syntax would look like the following.

mv -t <destination> <src1> <src2> .... <srnN>

You can do that in the reverse fashion as well:

mv file1 file2 file3 -t DESTINATION

In your case will be:

mv -t Test/ Sub1/ Sub2/ Sub3/

Source: DevopsCube / AskUbuntu

Solution 3

you can specify using curly braces,

mv {Sub1, Sub2, Sub3} Test/

9,027

Mostafa Hussein

Updated on September 18, 2022

Comments

Mostafa Hussein almost 2 years

I have a directory which contains multiple directories including subdirectories too. I want to move some of them to a single one at the same time (with one command)

Example

Main Directory
     Sub1
        Subsub1
        Subsub2
     Sub2
        Subsub1
        Subsub2
     Sub3
        Subsub1
        Subsub2
     Sub4
        Subsub1
        Subsub2
     Sub5
        Subsub1
        Subsub2
     Test
 -----------------------

I want to move Sub1, Sub2, Sub3 including their subdirectories, into Test folder, so finally I will have something like this

Main Directory
     Sub4
        Subsub1
        Subsub2
     Sub5
        Subsub1
        Subsub2
     Test
         Sub1
             Subsub1
             Subsub2
         Sub2
             Subsub1
             Subsub2
         Sub3
             Subsub1
             Subsub2
 -----------------------

Mostafa Hussein almost 6 years

when doing it in one line as Sub[1-3] , it gives me No such file or directory
Kusalananda almost 6 years

@MostafaHussein Then you are either not executing the command from the directory containing "Main Directory", or your subdirectories have different names not matching the patternSub[1-3].
Mostafa Hussein almost 6 years

my subdirectories are like that: episode_0000 till episode_0049 I want to move episode_0000 till episode_0039 to another directory
Kusalananda almost 6 years

@MostafaHussein It would have been helpful if you had stated that in the question from the start.
Mostafa Hussein almost 6 years

I am sorry, I didn't have the folders ready, I was just getting the idea, then I created these folders
Kusalananda almost 6 years

@MostafaHussein See updated answer.
Mostafa Hussein almost 6 years

This worked, thanks a lot @Kusalananda and sorry for the conflict
Kusalananda about 5 years

Did you test this? The result will probably surprise you.
InsOp almost 4 years

@Kusalananda I did test it it works - but to make sure: could you elaborate?
Kusalananda almost 4 years

@InsOp It would move the files {Sub1,, Sub2,, and Sub3} to the directory Test. It's not actually a brace expansion.