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33 .\" @(#)cp.1 8.3 (Berkeley) 4/18/94
45 .Op Fl H | Fl L | Fl P
49 .Ar source_file target_file
53 .Op Fl H | Fl L | Fl P
57 .Ar source_file ... target_directory
59 In the first synopsis form, the
61 utility copies the contents of the
65 In the second synopsis form,
66 the contents of each named
68 is copied to the destination
69 .Ar target_directory .
70 The names of the files themselves are not changed.
73 detects an attempt to copy a file to itself, the copy will fail.
75 The following options are available:
82 For each existing destination pathname, attempt to overwrite it.
83 If permissions do not allow copy to succeed, remove it and create a new
84 file, without prompting for confirmation.
87 option is ignored if the
93 option is specified, symbolic links on the command line are followed.
94 (Symbolic links encountered in the tree traversal are not followed.)
98 to write a prompt to the standard error output before copying a file
99 that would overwrite an existing file.
100 If the response from the standard input begins with the character
102 the file copy is attempted.
106 option is specified, all symbolic links are followed.
108 Create hard links to regular files in a hierarchy instead of copying.
112 don't copy file flags.
114 No symbolic links are followed.
119 to preserve in the copy as many of the modification time, access time,
120 file flags, file mode, user ID, group ID, and extended attributes,
121 as allowed by permissions.
123 If the user ID and group ID cannot be preserved, no error message
124 is displayed and the exit value is not altered.
126 If the source file has its set user ID bit on and the user ID cannot
127 be preserved, the set user ID bit is not preserved
128 in the copy's permissions.
129 If the source file has its set group ID bit on and the group ID cannot
130 be preserved, the set group ID bit is not preserved
131 in the copy's permissions.
132 If the source file has both its set user ID and set group ID bits on,
133 and either the user ID or group ID cannot be preserved, neither
134 the set user ID or set group ID bits are preserved in the copy's
137 Extended attributes from all accessible namespaces are copied;
139 If an error occurs during this copy, a message is displayed and
141 skips the other extended attributes for that file.
145 designates a directory,
147 copies the directory and the entire subtree connected at that point.
148 This option also causes symbolic links to be copied, rather than
151 to create special files rather than copying them as normal files.
152 Created directories have the same mode as the corresponding source
153 directory, unmodified by the process's umask.
157 copies hard linked files as separate files.
158 If you need to preserve hard links, consider using a utility like
164 to be verbose, showing files as they are copied.
167 For each destination file that already exists, its contents are
168 overwritten if permissions allow, but its mode, user ID, and group
171 In the second synopsis form,
173 must exist unless there is only one named
175 which is a directory and the
179 If the destination file does not exist, the mode of the source file is
180 used as modified by the file mode creation mask
184 If the source file has its set user ID bit on, that bit is removed
185 unless both the source file and the destination file are owned by the
187 If the source file has its set group ID bit on, that bit is removed
188 unless both the source file and the destination file are in the same
189 group and the user is a member of that group.
190 If both the set user ID and set group ID bits are set, all of the above
191 conditions must be fulfilled or both bits are removed.
193 Appropriate permissions are required for file creation or overwriting.
195 Symbolic links are always followed unless the
197 flag is set, in which case symbolic links are not followed, by default.
202 flags (in conjunction with the
204 flag), as well as the
206 flag cause symbolic links to be followed as described above.
211 options are ignored unless the
214 In addition, these options override each other and the
215 command's actions are determined by the last one specified.
216 The default is as if the
218 option had been specified.
222 Historic versions of the
227 This implementation supports that option, however, its use is strongly
228 discouraged, as it does not correctly copy special files, symbolic links,
240 utility is expected to be
248 flags are non-standard extensions.
249 They are intended to be compatible with the same options which
250 other implementations, namely GNU coreutils and
252 of this utility have.
256 option is an extension to