---
name: "shtool-move"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "shtool"
version: "2.0.8-10"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/shtool-move"
---

# shtool-move(1)

GNU shtool enhanced mv(1) replacement

## NAME

shtool-move - GNU shtool enhanced [mv(1)](/mv/1.md) replacement

## SYNOPSIS

**shtool move** \[**-v**\|**--verbose**\] \[**-t**\|**--trace**\] \[**-e**\|**--expand**\] \[**-p**\|**--preserve**\] *src-file* *dst-file*

## DESCRIPTION

This is a [**mv**(1)](/mv/1.md) style command enhanced with the ability to rename multiple files in a single operation and the ability to detect and not touch existing equal destinations files, thus preserving timestamps.

## OPTIONS

The following command line options are available.

- **-v**, **--verbose**

  Display some processing information.

- **-t**, **--trace**

  Enable the output of the essential shell commands which are executed.

- **-e**, **--expand**

  Expand asterisk in *src* to be used as "`"%"`*n*" (where *n* is `1`,`2`,...) in *dst-file*. This is useful for renaming multiple files at once.

- **-p**, **--preserve**

  Detect *src-file* and *dst-file* having equal content and not touch existing destination files, thus perserving timestamps. This is useful for applications that monitor timestamps, i.e. suppress make(1L) repeating actions for unchanged files.

## EXAMPLE

```
 #   shell script
 shtool move -v -e '*.txt' %1.asc
 #   Makefile
 scanner.c: scanner.l
     lex scanner.l
     shtool move -t -p lex.yy.c scanner.c
```

## HISTORY

The **GNU shtool** **move** command was originally written by Ralf S. Engelschall \<rse@engelschall.com\> in 1999 for **GNU shtool**.

## SEE ALSO

[**shtool**(1)](/shtool/1.md), [**mv**(1)](/mv/1.md), [**make**(1)](/make/1.md).