usr/share/man/cat1/cp.0

CP(1)                        BSD Reference Manual                        CP(1)

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     c\bcp\bp - copy files

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     c\bcp\bp [-\b-H\bHR\bRf\bfh\bhi\bip\bp] _\bs_\bo_\bu_\br_\bc_\be_\b__\bf_\bi_\bl_\be _\bt_\ba_\br_\bg_\be_\bt_\b__\bf_\bi_\bl_\be
     c\bcp\bp [-\b-H\bHR\bRf\bfh\bhi\bip\bp] _\bs_\bo_\bu_\br_\bc_\be_\b__\bf_\bi_\bl_\be _\b._\b._\b. _\bt_\ba_\br_\bg_\be_\bt_\b__\bd_\bi_\br_\be_\bc_\bt_\bo_\br_\by

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     In the first synopsis form, the c\bcp\bp utility copies the contents of the
     _\bs_\bo_\bu_\br_\bc_\be_\b__\bf_\bi_\bl_\be to the _\bt_\ba_\br_\bg_\be_\bt_\b__\bf_\bi_\bl_\be. In the second synopsis form, the contents
     of each named _\bs_\bo_\bu_\br_\bc_\be_\b__\bf_\bi_\bl_\be is copied to the destination _\bt_\ba_\br_\bg_\be_\bt_\b__\bd_\bi_\br_\be_\bc_\bt_\bo_\br_\by.
     The names of the files themselves are not changed.  If c\bcp\bp detects an at-
     tempt to copy a file to itself, the copy will fail.

     The following options are available:

     -\b-H\bH    When encountering a symbolic link on the command line, follow it.
           All other symbolic links encountered in the traversal are not fol-
           lowed.  Provided for the -\b-R\bR option which does not follow symbolic
           links by default.

     -\b-R\bR    If _\bs_\bo_\bu_\br_\bc_\be_\b__\bf_\bi_\bl_\be designates a directory, c\bcp\bp copies the directory and
           the entire subtree connected at that point.  This option also caus-
           es symbolic links to be copied, rather than indirected through, and
           for c\bcp\bp to create special files rather than copying them as normal
           files.  Created directories have the same mode as the corresponding
           source directory, unmodified by the process' umask.

     -\b-f\bf    For each existing destination pathname, remove it and create a new
           file, without prompting for confirmation regardless of its permis-
           sions.  (The -\b-i\bi option is ignored if the -\b-f\bf option is specified.)

     -\b-h\bh    When encountering a symbolic link anywhere in the traversal, follow
           it.  Provided for the -\b-R\bR option which does not follow symbolic
           links by default.

     -\b-i\bi    Causes c\bcp\bp to write a prompt to the standard error output before
           copying a file that would overwrite an existing file.  If the re-
           sponse from the standard input begins with the character `y', the
           file is copied if permissions allow the copy.

     -\b-p\bp    Causes c\bcp\bp to preserve in the copy as many of the modification time,
           access time, file flags, file mode, user ID, and group ID as al-
           lowed by permissions.

           If the user ID and group ID cannot be preserved, no error message
           is displayed and the exit value is not altered.

           If the source file has its set user ID bit on and the user ID can-
           not be preserved, the set user ID bit is not preserved in the
           copy's permissions.  If the source file has its set group ID bit on
           and the group ID cannot be preserved, the set group ID bit is not
           preserved in the copy's permissions.  If the source file has both
           its set user ID and set group ID bits on, and either the user ID or
           group ID cannot be preserved, neither the set user ID or set group
           ID bits are preserved in the copy's permissions.

     For each destination file that already exists, its contents are overwrit-
     ten if permissions allow, but its mode, user ID, and group ID are un-
     changed.

     In the second synopsis form, _\bt_\ba_\br_\bg_\be_\bt_\b__\bd_\bi_\br_\be_\bc_\bt_\bo_\br_\by must exist unless there is
     only one named _\bs_\bo_\bu_\br_\bc_\be_\b__\bf_\bi_\bl_\be which is a directory and the -\b-R\bR flag is speci-
     fied.

     If the destination file does not exist, the mode of the source file is
     used as modified by the file mode creation mask (u\bum\bma\bas\bsk\bk, see csh(1)).  If
     the source file has its set user ID bit on, that bit is removed unless
     both the source file and the destination file are owned by the same user.
     If the source file has its set group ID bit on, that bit is removed un-
     less both the source file and the destination file are in the same group
     and the user is a member of that group.  If both the set user ID and set
     group ID bits are set, all of the above conditions must be fulfilled or
     both bits are removed.

     Appropriate permissions are required for file creation or overwriting.

     Symbolic links are always followed unless the -\b-R\bR flag is set in which
     case symbolic links are not followed by default.  However, the -\b-H\bH or -\b-h\bh
     flags (in conjuction with the -\b-R\bR flag) cause symbolic link following as
     detailed above.

     C\bCp\bp exits 0 on success, >0 if an error occurred.

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     mv(1),  rcp(1),  umask(2),  fts(3),  symlink(7)

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     The c\bcp\bp command is expected to be IEEE Std1003.2 (``POSIX'') compatible.

4th Berkeley Distribution        May 31, 1993                                2