emacs lisp command to copy dir and all subdir?

emacs lisp command to copy dir and all subdir?

[Xah Lee]

is there a emacs lisp command to copy a whole dir? like unix's cp -R?

i started to write one:

(defun copy-dir (sourcedir destdir)
  "Copy all files from SOURCEDIR to DESTDIR.

The input dir should not end in a slash.
Example usage:
 (copy-dir
 \"/Users/xah/web/p/um\"
 \"/Users/xah/web/diklo/xx\")

Note: no consideration is taken about links, alias, or file perms."
  (mapc
   (lambda (x)
     (let ()
       (when (and (not (string-equal x ".")) (not (string-equal x
"..")))
         (copy-file
          (concat sourcedir "/" x) destdir) ) ) )
   (directory-files sourcedir) ) )

but it is hackish because of the checking with “.” and “..”,
but also realized this doesn't do sub dirs. In order to do subdir,
it'll prob end up with few hours more...

so, am wondering if there's a pre-made solutions?

Thanks.

  Xah
∑ http://xahlee.org/

☄

Re: emacs lisp command to copy dir and all subdir?

[notbob]

On 2009-08-25, Xah Lee <xahlee@gmail.com> wrote:
> is there a emacs lisp command to copy a whole dir? like unix's cp -R?

> so, am wondering if there's a pre-made solutions?

I'm using emacs 22.3 and it copies recursively by default.  From dired
mode, simply put cursor on dir to be copied and type C (captial C for
copy).  The mini-buffer prompts where to copy to.  If subdirectories
exist, mini-buffer prompts if you want recursive copies (y/n).  I just
tried it and it works fine, which is cool, cuz I sure don't know much
about lisp, yet.  ;)

nb  

Re: emacs lisp command to copy dir and all subdir?

[Michael Heerdegen]

Have a look at the doc of `dired-recursive-copies'.

Re: emacs lisp command to copy dir and all subdir?

[Xah Lee]

On Aug 26, 5:32 am, Michael Heerdegen <nore...@nospam.dev.null> wrote:
> Have a look at the doc of `dired-recursive-copies'.

sorry all, but a bit clarification.

i needed a copy-dir function for elisp coding, not as user function in
dired.

i haven't thought about looking into how dired-do-copy implement it,
good thought. thanks.

looking into it, it seems a bit complex:

(defun dired-do-copy (&optional arg)
  "Copy all marked (or next ARG) files, or copy the current file.
This normally preserves the last-modified date when copying.
When operating on just the current file, you specify the new name.
When operating on multiple or marked files, you specify a directory,
and new copies of these files are made in that directory
with the same names that the files currently have.  The default
suggested for the target directory depends on the value of
`dired-dwim-target', which see.

This command copies symbolic links by creating new ones,
like `cp -d'."
  (interactive "P")
  (let ((dired-recursive-copies dired-recursive-copies))
    (dired-do-create-files 'copy (function dired-copy-file)
			   "Copy"
			   arg dired-keep-marker-copy
			   nil dired-copy-how-to-fn)))

is this the only way?

i think most modern scripting lang has a copy dir function... that'd
be good in elisp.

 Xah

Re: emacs lisp command to copy dir and all subdir?

[John A Pershing Jr]

Xah Lee <xahlee@gmail.com> writes:

> On Aug 26, 5:32 am, Michael Heerdegen <nore...@nospam.dev.null> wrote:
>> Have a look at the doc of `dired-recursive-copies'.
>
> is this the only way?
>
> i think most modern scripting lang has a copy dir function... that'd
> be good in elisp.

Well, you could always run 'cp -p -r ..." in a subshell.

  -jp

Re: emacs lisp command to copy dir and all subdir?

[wart]

I'm with you Xah.  I wish there is such a function.  The reason is
portability.  That way I can run the same elisp code on windows too.

Re: emacs lisp command to copy dir and all subdir?

[Andreas Politz]

wart <fakeid911@gmail.com> writes:

> I'm with you Xah.  I wish there is such a function.  The reason is
> portability.  That way I can run the same elisp code on windows too.

Take a look how dired does it.  Run on your own risk.

(dired-copy-file-recursive "~/.emacs.d/" "/tmp/emacs.d"
                           nil nil nil 'always)

-ap

Re: emacs lisp command to copy dir and all subdir?

[Xah Lee]

On Sep 11, 7:16 am, Andreas Politz <poli...@fh-trier.de> wrote:
> wart <fakeid...@gmail.com> writes:
> > I'm with you Xah.  I wish there is such a function.  The reason is
> > portability.  That way I can run the same elisp code on windows too.
>
> Take a look how dired does it.  Run on your own risk.
>
> (dired-copy-file-recursive "~/.emacs.d/" "/tmp/emacs.d"
>                            nil nil nil 'always)

i don't seems to have dired-copy-file-recursive? it doesn't seems to
be in dired.el.

 Xah

Re: emacs lisp command to copy dir and all subdir?

[Xah Lee]

On Sep 11, 7:16 am, Andreas Politz <poli...@fh-trier.de> wrote:
> Take a look how dired does it.  Run on your own risk.
> (dired-copy-file-recursive"~/.emacs.d/" "/tmp/emacs.d"
>  nil nil nil 'always)

On Sep 11, 10:54 am, Xah Lee <xah...@gmail.com> wrote:

> i don't seems to havedired-copy-file-recursive? it doesn't seems to
> be indired.el.

Ok. Found it. Thanks. It is in dired-aux.el.

(require 'dired-aux)
(dired-copy-file-recursive "c:/Users/xah/web/kacma" "c:/Users/xah/web/
kacma2" nil nil nil 'always)

  Xah
∑ http://xahlee.org/

☄

Re: emacs lisp command to copy dir and all subdir?

[Xah Lee]

PS filed a bug report. http://emacsbugs.donarmstrong.com/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=4408

 Xah

On Sep 11, 6:40 pm, Xah Lee <xah...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Sep 11, 7:16 am, Andreas Politz <poli...@fh-trier.de> wrote:
>
> > Take a look howdireddoes it.  Run on your own risk.
> > (dired-copy-file-recursive"~/.emacs.d/" "/tmp/emacs.d"
> >  nil nil nil 'always)
>
> On Sep 11, 10:54 am,XahLee <xah...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > i don't seems to havedired-copy-file-recursive? it doesn't seems to
> > be indired.el.
>
> Ok. Found it. Thanks. It is indired-aux.el.
>
> (require 'dired-aux)
> (dired-copy-file-recursive"c:/Users/xah/web/kacma" "c:/Users/xah/web/
> kacma2" nil nil nil 'always)
>
>  Xah
> ∑http://xahlee.org/
>
> ☄

Re: emacs lisp command to copy dir and all subdir?

[Xah Lee]

here's my draft implementation. (thanks for Andreas Politz)

For those who wish to use, here it is. Tested and used for my own
script that used to depend on unix's cp.

(defun copy-directory-recursive (source-dir dest-dir)
  "Copy whole a directory SOURCE-DIR to DEST-DIR.
Note, the semantics of source-dir dest-dir is different from the unix
“cp” utility.
In unix's “cp -R”, if dest-dir exists, it'll copy source-dir itself,
else, just source-dir's children.

In copy-directory-recursive, it always copy source-dir's children.

In both, the dest-dir may or may not exist. If not, it'll be created.
However, dest-dir's parent must exist.

This function is based on dired-copy-file-recursive.
Behavior about linked files, etc, are from that function."
  (require 'dired-aux)
  (dired-copy-file-recursive source-dir dest-dir nil nil nil 'always)
  )

haven't worked on delete-directory-recursive yet...

the unix cp is idiotic...

• Idiocy Of Unix Copy Command
  http://xahlee.org/UnixResource_dir/writ/unix_copy_dir.html

  Xah
∑ http://xahlee.org/

☄