Copying and renaming a file between directories (Unix cp): Which command copies the file 'wb' from the 'programs' directory to the 'misc' directory, naming the destination file 'wbx'?

Introduction / Context:
File management on Unix commonly involves copying files between directories and optionally renaming them in the process. The cp utility provides a simple syntax to specify a source path and a destination path that may include a new filename.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Source file: programs/wb (relative path).
• Destination directory: misc/ with a new filename wbx.
• Standard POSIX cp behavior is assumed.

Concept / Approach:

The cp command takes the form cp source destination. If destination refers to a directory, cp copies into that directory with the same filename; if destination includes a trailing filename, the file is copied and simultaneously renamed. This is ideal for duplicating and renaming in one step.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:

After running the command, ls -l misc/wbx should list the new file. The original programs/wb remains unchanged. Optionally, compare checksums with sum or md5sum to confirm identity.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• copy programs/wb misc/wbx: 'copy' is a DOS command, not standard on Unix.
• tar programs/wb misc/wbx: tar creates/extracts archives; it does not copy single files in this manner.
• copy a:programs/wb b:misc/wbx: DOS drive-letter syntax; not applicable to Unix paths.
• None of the above: Incorrect because cp programs/wb misc/wbx is correct.

Common Pitfalls:

Forgetting quotes when paths contain spaces; overwriting existing files unintentionally (use cp -i for interactive prompts). For recursive directory copies, use cp -r, but for single files the basic cp is sufficient.

Final Answer:

cp programs/wb misc/wbx