Arch Linux

Gen2ly

Member

From: Sevierville, TN

Registered: 2009-03-06

Posts: 1,529

Website

[Solved] Hmm, I don't get what 'install -D' does

I really have no idea what the install '-D' flag does.  I understand the -m flag changes the file (-)mode 644, 755, but I have no idea what the -D does or when to use it.  From the man page:

       -D     create all leading components of DEST except the last, then copy
              SOURCE to DEST

Before I get the 'it does exactly what it says it does'  could someone please put it in different terms?  When and why would I use this?

Last edited by Gen2ly (2009-11-06 23:00:19)

---

Setting Up a Scripting Environment | Proud donor to wikipedia - link

byte

Member

From: Düsseldorf (DE)

Registered: 2006-05-01

Posts: 2,046

Re: [Solved] Hmm, I don't get what 'install -D' does

install file /path/to/file
vs.
install -D file /path/to/

That's all.

---

1000

grey

Member

From: Europe

Registered: 2007-08-23

Posts: 679

Re: [Solved] Hmm, I don't get what 'install -D' does

It creates the directory path that is the prefix of DEST. So:

$ touch stuff
$ install stuff some/where/else
install: cannot create regular file `some/where/else': No such file or directory
$ install -D stuff some/where/else
$ ls -R some
some:
where

some/where:
else

---

Good ideas do not need lots of lies told about them in order to gain public acceptance.

Gen2ly

Member

From: Sevierville, TN

Registered: 2009-03-06

Posts: 1,529

Website

Re: [Solved] Hmm, I don't get what 'install -D' does

Ahhh, looked over a couple PKGBUILDS and missed that.  Thanks for the information.

---

Setting Up a Scripting Environment | Proud donor to wikipedia - link