Cannot stat mv, file not found

Question

could somebody please help me find the problem with this code? getting this error "mv: cannot stat '~Desktop/RecyclingBin/testtest' : No such file or directory. It does exist and it is in the location ~Desktop/RecyclingBin/testtest

fileName=$1
fileLocation='cat ~/Desktop/RecyclingBin/logs/$fileName
if [ -z "$1" ]
   then
       echo "please enter a valid filename"
   else
       echo "do you want to restore?"
   read ans

   if [ "$ans" =="y" ]
   then 
       mv "~/Desktop/RecyclingBin/$fileName" "$fileLocation"
   fi
fi

You are quoting `~`, so it does not get expanded. See http://mywiki.wooledge.org/BashPitfalls#echo_.22.2BAH4.22 — fedorqui 'SO stop harming', Nov 19 '14 at 23:18
yeah I've removed that so now I have mv ~/Desktop/RecyclingBin/"$fileName" $fileLocation but my $fileLocation is stored inside a text file with a tilde — user3437235, Nov 19 '14 at 23:27
Just say `fileLocation=~"/Desktop/RecyclingBin/logs/$fileName" ` — fedorqui 'SO stop harming', Nov 19 '14 at 23:29
but im storing the cat of that file inside that variable since the text file contains the location I want to move the file to — user3437235, Nov 19 '14 at 23:33
If the path in the file contains `~` it won't expand if you quote it. Maybe you can say `fileLocation=$(cat ~/Desktop/.../$fileName)` — fedorqui 'SO stop harming', Nov 19 '14 at 23:36

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Nov 19 '14 at 23:18

0

The quotes prevent expansion of ~. Put it outside the quotes:

mv ~/Desktop/RecyclingBin/"$fileName" "$fileLocation"

answered Nov 19 '14 at 23:18

Barmar

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hmm the fileLocation also has a ~ it is stored in this format ~/Documents – user3437235 Nov 19 '14 at 23:22

Cannot stat mv, file not found

1 Answers1