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CP(1) User Commands CP(1) NAME
cp - copy files and directories SYNOPSIS
cp [OPTION]... [-T] SOURCE DEST cp [OPTION]... SOURCE... DIRECTORY cp [OPTION]... -t DIRECTORY SOURCE... DESCRIPTION
Copy SOURCE to DEST, or multiple SOURCE(s) to DIRECTORY. Mandatory arguments to long options are mandatory for short options too. -a, --archive same as -dR --preserve=all --attributes-only don't copy the file data, just the attributes --backup[=CONTROL] make a backup of each existing destination file -b like --backup but does not accept an argument --copy-contents copy contents of special files when recursive -d same as --no-dereference --preserve=links -f, --force if an existing destination file cannot be opened, remove it and try again (redundant if the -n option is used) -i, --interactive prompt before overwrite (overrides a previous -n option) -H follow command-line symbolic links in SOURCE -l, --link hard link files instead of copying -L, --dereference always follow symbolic links in SOURCE -n, --no-clobber do not overwrite an existing file (overrides a previous -i option) -P, --no-dereference never follow symbolic links in SOURCE -p same as --preserve=mode,ownership,timestamps --preserve[=ATTR_LIST] preserve the specified attributes (default: mode,ownership,timestamps), if possible additional attributes: context, links, xattr, all --no-preserve=ATTR_LIST don't preserve the specified attributes --parents use full source file name under DIRECTORY -R, -r, --recursive copy directories recursively --reflink[=WHEN] control clone/CoW copies. See below --remove-destination remove each existing destination file before attempting to open it (contrast with --force) --sparse=WHEN control creation of sparse files. See below --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 -t, --target-directory=DIRECTORY copy all SOURCE arguments into DIRECTORY -T, --no-target-directory treat DEST as a normal file -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. When --reflink[=always] is specified, perform a lightweight copy, where the data blocks are copied only when modified. If this is not pos- sible the copy fails, or if --reflink=auto is specified, fall back to a standard copy. 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. AUTHOR
Written by Torbjorn Granlund, David MacKenzie, and Jim Meyering. REPORTING BUGS
Report cp bugs to bug-coreutils@gnu.org GNU coreutils home page: <http://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/> General help using GNU software: <http://www.gnu.org/gethelp/> Report cp translation bugs to <http://translationproject.org/team/> COPYRIGHT
Copyright (C) 2011 Free Software Foundation, Inc. License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later <http://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>. This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it. There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law. SEE ALSO
The full documentation for cp is maintained as a Texinfo manual. If the info and cp programs are properly installed at your site, the com- mand info coreutils 'cp invocation' should give you access to the complete manual. GNU coreutils 8.12.197-032bb September 2011 CP(1)
