Using the /tmp directory

Each Unix system has a directory /tmp which acts as a "scratch area" which you can use to hold files and directories for short periods of time. For example:

   mkdir /tmp/for_u_tim
   cp -r surprise /tmp/for_u_tim

This creates the directory for_u_tim in the directory /tmp and then copies the directory surprise to it.

User tim might have been told that there is "something" for them in /tmp.

The access permissions and the group ownership must be set correctly before another user can copy the directory or link to it.

Remember to remove files and directories that you copy to or create in the directory /tmp; other people need that space too.

Do not use the /tmp directory to store vital information; it is cleared whenever the system is "booted up" and by the system administrator when the directory gets full.