bash - awk system call -
i want use awk , system() function move couple of directories around. have file want process awk names file.cfg organized in following way: /path1 /path2 /some_path /some_other_path , on.. each first path separated second path whitespace here's how did it: awk '{system(mv -r $1" "$2)}' file.cfg but doesn't work , get sh: 0/home/my_user/path1: no such file or directory but file.cfg looks this: /home/my_user/path1 /home/my_user/path2 and there no 0 before /home. missing here? you have quote command give system : awk '{system("mv -r " $1 " " $2)}' file.cfg currently mv -r interpreted value of variable mv minus value of r, 0 since neither defined.