What is the easiest way to copy one file to another?

Anonymous Monk has asked for the wisdom of the Perl Monks concerning the following question:

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Re: What is the easiest way to copy one file to another? by ar0n (Priest) on Oct 31, 2001 at 00:55 UTC
Use File::Copy, it's part of the standard library: `use File::Copy; copy("/path/to/old", "/path/to/new");` [download] [ ar0n ]	[reply] [d/l]
Re: What is the easiest way to copy one file to another? by broquaint (Abbot) on Oct 31, 2001 at 02:28 UTC
Well my first thought (well second after File::Copy :o) was to was just to read'n'write - `open(ONE, "firstfile") or die("$!\n"); open(TWO, ">secondfile") or die("$!\n"); print TWO while <ONE>; close(ONE); close(TWO);` [download] That should suffice for text files, and conceivably binary files with `binmode()` on. HTH broquaint aside: Why is that `close()` only takes one filehandle? It would be infinitely more handy to have take multiple filehandles. Hmmm ... Update: once again my replying skills come in too slow ;o)	[reply] [d/l]
Re: What is the easiest way to copy one file to another? by Masem (Monsignor) on Oct 31, 2001 at 01:09 UTC
Another possibility: `rename ( $oldfile, "$oldfile.bak" ) or die $!; rename ( $newfile, $oldfile ) or die $!;` [download] ----------------------------------------------------- Dr. Michael K. Neylon - mneylon-pm@masemware.com \|\| "You've left the lens cap of your mind on again, Pinky" - The Brain "I can see my house from here!" It's not what you know, but knowing how to find it if you don't know that's important	[reply] [d/l]
Re: Re: What is the easiest way to copy one file to another? by VSarkiss (Monsignor) on Oct 31, 2001 at 01:54 UTC
? This implements a file move, not a copy. I think the questioner wanted a piece of code that would produce two files with identical contents. This expects both `$newfile` and `$oldfile` to exist beforehand. It's very different from what `File::Copy` would do. (It's not wrong code, it just does something different.)	[reply] [d/l] [select]
Re: What is the easiest way to copy one file to another? by jwest (Friar) on Oct 31, 2001 at 01:12 UTC
For a more fun, but less portable and unrecommended solution... `link($oldfile, $newfile); unlink($oldfile);` [download] But you should really be using File::Copy as ar0n suggests. Update: Which, of course, actually performs a rename and not a copy. So, it's doubly true that File::Copy should be used instead. -><- -><- -><- -><- -><- All things are Perfect To every last Flaw And bound in accord With Eris's Law - HBT; The Book of Advice, 1:7	[reply] [d/l]
Re: What is the easiest way to copy one file to another? by Jonathan (Curate) on Oct 31, 2001 at 22:39 UTC
I'd use File::Copy but Larry's comments in the Shell module always make me smile so I'll suggest that. `use Shell qw(cp); cp("fileName1","fileName2");` [download]	[reply] [d/l]
Re: What is the easiest way to copy one file to another? by dug (Chaplain) on Oct 31, 2001 at 01:27 UTC
Or, if you have RAM to spare or aren't working with large files, you could `open (FH, "file.txt") or die "$!"; undef $/; $slurped_file = <FH>; # whole file resides in $slurped file now. open (CFH, ">copied_file.txt") or die "$!"; print CFH $slurped_file; # file.txt contents now reside in copied_file.txt. # close your filehandles.` [download] Probably not as efficient as a system call.	[reply] [d/l]
Re: Re: What is the easiest way to copy one file to another? by chromatic (Archbishop) on Oct 31, 2001 at 02:17 UTC
Ugh. Use File::Copy. Or, at least, skip the slurp. :) `open(FROM, 'file.txt') or die "Can't open file.txt: $!"; open(TO, '>copied_file.txt') or die "Can't open copied_file.txt: $!"; print TO while <FROM>;` [download]	[reply] [d/l]