How can I get my script to recognize a file path?

Question

So, I am making what I thought was a simple script to move multiple files to a new location. I wanted is to ask where the files were going. So I type in something like

~/i/want/to/go/here

after the prompt.

and the script can't seem to see it as valid, even if I do a direct copy and past from my command line.

I have tried quotations around $location, double quotations, a space after the prompt, checking my file path multiple times, directly copy pasting my path.

when it says it's checking the path, it states it perfectly, and yet it cant seem to verify that it exists.

I=INCAR
K=KPOINTS
o=openmpiscript
P=POSCAR
s=submit.vasp

echo "we are going to move INCAR,KPOINTS,openmpiscript,POSCAR, and submit.vasp to a desired location"
echo "Just tell me where to put them and I will automatically move all those files on your behalf."
read -p "location please:" location

echo "ok we can check and see whether or not $location is a real place"

if [[ -d $location ]];
then
    echo "yup, $location is there"
else
    echo "hmmm, this might not be a working directory path"
    exit 1
fi

Oh, I listed what I tried above, but essentially I tried quotes, no quotes, adjusting my path, verifying my path by using cd to literally go there then copy paste.

the results are that it exits out because it doesn't see the path as valid, and it cant see that directory, even though it is there.

Answer 1

Do follow the links to the duplicate question.

The reason it doesn't work: bash expands tildes before it expands variables. And then it does not go back for a 2nd round of expansions.

Note the order of the expansions in https://www.gnu.org/software/bash/manual/bash.html#Shell-Expansions