Shoot , managed to hit send when i didn't mean too -- anyway:

But if you're really concerned about avoiding copying, a certain way to do
that I would think would be to create a hard link to the new file, then
remove the old file. So it's still easily accomplished with an alias and
doesn't really need a command.


On Wed, Jul 16, 2014 at 12:30 PM, David Wagle <david.wagle at gmail.com> wrote:

> You'll have to explain to me how a rename (which by definition is a change
> in place and so doesn't change directory structures) could possibly launch
> into a copy?
>
>
> On Wed, Jul 16, 2014 at 11:57 AM, gregrwm <tclug1 at whitleymott.net> wrote:
>
>> @david:  sounds like you've never been bitten by intending a simple
>> rename or move presumably within a filesystem and seeing mv instead
>> launch into copying.  if i want a copy i'll use cp.  and i'll have a
>> look before i rm any original.  those safety checks you refer to are
>> almost entirely around the copy, which i don't even want.  rhel rename
>> comes with util-linux-ng, ubuntu rename comes packaged with perl,
>> neither manpage has the WARNING you mention.  reads like the author
>> had something ominous in mind but they don't say what.  would rename
>> consent to lose a directory within it's children?  you mean to suggest
>> mv protects you in some important way from something rename might do?
>> my understanding of mv is if rename(2) succeeds, it's done, but if
>> not, well that's when the trouble begins..
>>
>> @munir:  and there is no reliable test for "same filesystem".  even
>> /proc/mounts is not always reliable, eg with persistence ala
>> overlayfs, or if /proc itself is unavailable, eg in a chroot
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>
>
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