| cp - copy files and directories |
|
cp [OPTION]... SOURCE DEST cp [OPTION]... SOURCE... DIRECTORY cp [OPTION]... --target-directory=DIRECTORY SOURCE... |
| Copy SOURCE to DEST, or multiple SOURCE(s) to DIRECTORY. |
| -a, --archive |
| same as -dpR |
| --backup[=CONTROL] |
| make a backup of each existing destination file |
| -b |
| like --backup but does not accept an argument |
| -d, --no-dereference |
| never follow symbolic links |
| -f, --force |
| if an existing destination file cannot be opened, remove it and try again |
| -i, --interactive |
| prompt before overwrite |
| -H |
| follow command-line symbolic links |
| -l, --link |
| link files instead of copying |
| -L, --dereference |
| always follow symbolic links |
| -p, --preserve |
| preserve file attributes if possible |
| --parents |
| append source path to DIRECTORY |
| -P |
| same as `--parents' for now; soon to change to `--no-dereference' to conform to POSIX |
| -r |
| copy recursively, non-directories as files WARNING: use -R instead when you might copy special files like FIFOs or /dev/zero |
| --remove-destination |
| remove each existing destination file before attempting to open it (contrast with --force) |
| --sparse=WHEN |
| control creation of sparse files |
| -R, --recursive |
| copy directories recursively |
| --strip-trailing-slashes remove any trailing slashes from each SOURCE |
| argument |
| -s, --symbolic-link |
| make symbolic links instead of copying |
| -S, --suffix=SUFFIX |
| override the usual backup suffix |
| --target-directory=DIRECTORY |
| move all SOURCE arguments into DIRECTORY |
| -u, --update |
| copy only when the SOURCE file is newer than the destination file or when the destination file is missing |
| -v, --verbose |
| explain what is being done |
| -x, --one-file-system |
| stay on this file system |
| --help |
| display this help and exit |
| --version |
| output version information and exit |
| By default, sparse SOURCE files are detected by a crude heuristic and the corresponding DEST file is made sparse as well. That is the behavior selected by --sparse=auto. Specify --sparse=always to create a sparse DEST file whenever the SOURCE file contains a long enough sequence of zero bytes. Use --sparse=never to inhibit creation of sparse files. |
| The backup suffix is `~', unless set with --suffix or SIMPLE_BACKUP_SUFFIX. The version control method may be selected via the --backup option or through the VERSION_CONTROL environment variable. Here are the values: |
| none, off |
| never make backups (even if --backup is given) |
| numbered, t |
| make numbered backups |
| existing, nil |
| numbered if numbered backups exist, simple otherwise |
| simple, never |
| always make simple backups |
| As a special case, cp makes a backup of SOURCE when the force and backup options are given and SOURCE and DEST are the same name for an existing, regular file. |
| Written by Torbjorn Granlund, David MacKenzie, and Jim Meyering. |
| Report bugs to <bug-fileutils@gnu.org>. |
|
Copyright 2001 Free Software Foundation, Inc. This is free software; see the source for copying conditions. There is NO warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. |
| The full documentation for cp is maintained as a Texinfo manual. If the info and cp programs are properly installed at your site, the command |
| info cp |
| should give you access to the complete manual. |