MV(1)

NAME
       mv - rename files

SYNOPSIS
       mv [options] source dest
       mv [options] source... directory
       Options:
       [-bfiuv]  [-S  backup-suffix]  [-V {numbered,existing,sim-
       ple}]  [--backup]  [--force]  [--interactive]   [--update]
       [--verbose]    [--suffix=backup-suffix]    [--version-con-
       trol={numbered,existing,simple}] [--help] [--version]

DESCRIPTION
       This documentation is no longer being maintained  and  may
       be inaccurate or incomplete.  The Texinfo documentation is
       now the authoritative source.

       This manual page documents the GNU version of mv.  If  the
       last  argument  names an existing directory, mv moves each
       other given file into a file with the same  name  in  that
       directory.   Otherwise,  if  only  two files are given, it
       moves the first onto the second.  It is an  error  if  the
       last  argument  is not a directory and more than two files
       are given.  It can move only regular files across filesys-
       tems.

       If a destination file is unwritable, the standard input is
       a tty, and the -f or  --force  option  is  not  given,  mv
       prompts  the  user  for whether to overwrite the file.  If
       the response does not begin with `y' or `Y', the  file  is
       skipped.

   OPTIONS
       -b, --backup
              Make backups of files that are about to be removed.

       -f, --force
              Remove existing destination files and never  prompt
              the user.

       -i, --interactive
              Prompt  whether  to overwrite each destination file
              that already exists.   If  the  response  does  not
              begin with `y' or `Y', the file is skipped.

       -u, --update
              Do  not  move  a  nondirectory that has an existing
              destination with the  same  or  newer  modification
              time.

       -v, --verbose
              Print the name of each file before moving it.

       --help Print  a  usage message on standard output and exit
              successfully.

       --version
              Print version information on standard  output  then
              exit successfully.

       -S, --suffix backup-suffix
              The  suffix used for making simple backup files can
              be set with  the  SIMPLE_BACKUP_SUFFIX  environment
              variable,  which  can be overridden by this option.
              If neither of those is given, the default  is  `~',
              as it is in Emacs.

       -V, --version-control {numbered,existing,simple}
              The  type  of backups made can be set with the VER-
              SION_CONTROL environment  variable,  which  can  be
              overridden  by  this option.  If VERSION_CONTROL is
              not set and this option is not given,  the  default
              backup  type  is `existing'.  The value of the VER-
              SION_CONTROL environment variable and the  argument
              to this option are like the GNU Emacs `version-con-
              trol' variable; they also recognize  synonyms  that
              are more descriptive.  The valid values are (unique
              abbreviations are accepted):
              `t' or `numbered'
                     Always make numbered backups.
              `nil' or `existing'
                     Make numbered backups of files that  already
                     have them, simple backups of the others.
              `never' or `simple'
                     Always make simple backups.