cp
(1g)
Name
cp - copy files and directories
Synopsis
cp [OPTION]... [-T] SOURCE DEST
cp [OPTION]... SOURCE... DIRECTORY
cp [OPTION]... -t DIRECTORY SOURCE...
Description
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
GNU coreutils 8.16 Last change: March 2012 1
User Commands CP(1)
never follow symbolic links in SOURCE
-p same as --preserve=mode,ownership,timestamps
--preserve[=ATTR_LIST]
preserve the specified attributes (default: mode,owner-
ship,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 desti-
nation file or when the destination file is missing
-v, --verbose
explain what is being done
-x, --one-file-system
stay on this file system
GNU coreutils 8.16 Last change: March 2012 2
User Commands CP(1)
--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 when-
ever 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 possible the copy fails, or if --reflink=auto
is specified, fall back to a standard copy.
The backup suffix is '~', unless set with --suffix or SIM-
PLE_BACKUP_SUFFIX. The version control method may be
selected via the --backup option or through the VERSION_CON-
TROL 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 Mey-
ering.
REPORTING BUGS
Report cp bugs to bug-coreutils@gnu.org
GNU coreutils home page: <http://www.gnu.org/software/core-
utils/>
General help using GNU software: <http://www.gnu.org/geth-
elp/>
Report cp translation bugs to <http://translationpro-
ject.org/team/>
GNU coreutils 8.16 Last change: March 2012 3
User Commands CP(1)
COPYRIGHT
Copyright (C) 2012 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 redis-
tribute it. There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted
by law.
ATTRIBUTES
See attributes(5) for descriptions of the following
attributes:
+---------------+--------------------+
|ATTRIBUTE TYPE | ATTRIBUTE VALUE |
+---------------+--------------------+
|Availability | file/gnu-coreutils |
+---------------+--------------------+
|Stability | Uncommitted |
+---------------+--------------------+
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 command
info coreutils 'cp invocation'
should give you access to the complete manual.
NOTES
This software was built from source available at
https://java.net/projects/solaris-userland. The original
community source was downloaded from
http://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/coreutils/coreutils-8.16.tar.xz
Further information about this software can be found on the
open source community website at http://www.gnu.org/soft-
ware/coreutils/.
GNU coreutils 8.16 Last change: March 2012 4