[R] Moving a file from one location to another

[Prof Brian Ripley]

On 17/10/2012 13:59, Berend Hasselman wrote:
>
> On 17-10-2012, at 13:53, Rui Barradas wrote:
>
>> Hello,
>>
>> On Windows this should be the old DOS command RENAME (or REN) and apparently the R function ?file.rename carries it's name.
>>
>
> If I'm reading the help for file.rename correctly it can't move a file from one directory to another on Windows ("On Windows,file.rename nowadays works across volumes for files but not directories.". If I remember correctly one will have to use system() and the command move.

You are not.

On Windows, file.rename() can move a normal file from one directory to 
another, even to a directory on another volume.

What it cannot do is move a directory from a directory on one file 
system (volume in Windows' parlance) to a directory on another.

Basically no program can really move files between file systems, but 
some OSes have an atomic copy-and-delete operation and others (including 
recent versions of Windows) emulate the move by copying and then 
deleting, but not recursively and so only for normal files.

It is hard to write precise documentation where on a POSIX file system a 
directory is a file and on a Windows file system it is not.  And you can 
have either type of file system on either a POSIX OS or Windows.


> Assuming that the OP wants to move files from within R (with cut and paste of course)
>
> Berend
>
>
>> And yes, the question is terrible. It also shows poor use of the help system. I didn't know the function name but got it right at the second try:
>>
>> ?file   # no, other stuff
>> ?file.copy  # yes
>>
>> Hope this helps,
>>
>> Rui Barradas
>> Em 17-10-2012 12:27, R. Michael Weylandt escreveu:
>>> On Wed, Oct 17, 2012 at 12:11 PM, Berend Hasselman <bhh at xs4all.nl> wrote:
>>>> On 17-10-2012, at 10:49, Rantony wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Hi ,A simple question, How we can move a file from one location to another ?
>>>>> (i mean cut & paste)Can any one help fast please ?Thanks in advance- Antony
>>>>>
>>>> What does this have to with R?
>>>> Will depend on the system you are using.
>>>> Look in the help of your file manager.
>>>>
>>>> Berend
>>> As I have said to "Rantony" multiple times before: this is an OS
>>> operation so you'll likely need to use the system() function to give
>>> your OS the command.
>>>
>>> The exact form of the command given depends on your (unstated!) OS but
>>> on Unices its usually some variant on
>>>
>>> mv A B
>>>
>>> However, I also know that Rantony is on Windows so he'll need a
>>> different command.
>>>
>>> To Rantony: please try to improve the quality of your questions. I've
>>> explained multiple times what we look for in a question on this list
>>> and you've really shown very little attempt to improve. At the end of
>>> the day, we are all just volunteers here, so help us help you. You
>>> might even learn something in the process. And please _please_ quote
>>> context if you must post from Nabble.
>>>
>>> Michael
>>>
>>> ______________________________________________
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>>> PLEASE do read the posting guide http://www.R-project.org/posting-guide.html
>>> and provide commented, minimal, self-contained, reproducible code.
>>
>
> ______________________________________________
> R-help at r-project.org mailing list
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> PLEASE do read the posting guide http://www.R-project.org/posting-guide.html
> and provide commented, minimal, self-contained, reproducible code.
>


-- 
Brian D. Ripley,                  ripley at stats.ox.ac.uk
Professor of Applied Statistics,  http://www.stats.ox.ac.uk/~ripley/
University of Oxford,             Tel:  +44 1865 272861 (self)
1 South Parks Road,                     +44 1865 272866 (PA)
Oxford OX1 3TG, UK                Fax:  +44 1865 272595