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35 .\" @(#)cp.1 8.3 (Berkeley) 4/18/94
36 .\" $FreeBSD: src/bin/cp/cp.1,v 1.16.2.6 2002/08/10 13:20:19 johan Exp $
37 .\" $DragonFly: src/bin/cp/cp.1,v 1.2 2003/06/17 04:22:49 dillon Exp $
49 .Op Fl H | Fl L | Fl P
53 .Ar source_file target_file
57 .Op Fl H | Fl L | Fl P
61 .Ar source_file ... target_directory
63 In the first synopsis form, the
65 utility copies the contents of the
69 In the second synopsis form,
70 the contents of each named
72 is copied to the destination
73 .Ar target_directory .
74 The names of the files themselves are not changed.
77 detects an attempt to copy a file to itself, the copy will fail.
79 The following options are available:
84 option is specified, symbolic links on the command line are followed.
85 (Symbolic links encountered in the tree traversal are not followed.)
89 option is specified, all symbolic links are followed.
93 option is specified, no symbolic links are followed.
98 designates a directory,
100 copies the directory and the entire subtree connected at that point.
101 This option also causes symbolic links to be copied, rather than
102 indirected through, and for
104 to create special files rather than copying them as normal files.
105 Created directories have the same mode as the corresponding source
106 directory, unmodified by the process' umask.
110 copies hard linked files as separate files.
111 If you need to preserve hard links, consider using
118 For each existing destination pathname, remove it and
119 create a new file, without prompting for confirmation
120 regardless of its permissions.
123 option overrides any previous
131 to write a prompt to the standard error output before copying a file
132 that would overwrite an existing file.
133 If the response from the standard input begins with the character
137 the file copy is attempted.
140 option overrides any previous
146 Do not overwrite an existing file.
149 option overrides any previous
157 to preserve in the copy as many of the modification time, access time,
158 file flags, file mode, user ID, and group ID as allowed by permissions.
160 If the user ID and group ID cannot be preserved, no error message
161 is displayed and the exit value is not altered.
163 If the source file has its set user ID bit on and the user ID cannot
164 be preserved, the set user ID bit is not preserved
165 in the copy's permissions.
166 If the source file has its set group ID bit on and the group ID cannot
167 be preserved, the set group ID bit is not preserved
168 in the copy's permissions.
169 If the source file has both its set user ID and set group ID bits on,
170 and either the user ID or group ID cannot be preserved, neither
171 the set user ID nor set group ID bits are preserved in the copy's
176 to be verbose, showing files as they are copied.
179 For each destination file that already exists, its contents are
180 overwritten if permissions allow. Its mode, user ID, and group
181 ID are unchanged unless the
183 option was specified.
185 In the second synopsis form,
187 must exist unless there is only one named
189 which is a directory and the
193 If the destination file does not exist, the mode of the source file is
194 used as modified by the file mode creation mask
198 If the source file has its set user ID bit on, that bit is removed
199 unless both the source file and the destination file are owned by the
201 If the source file has its set group ID bit on, that bit is removed
202 unless both the source file and the destination file are in the same
203 group and the user is a member of that group.
204 If both the set user ID and set group ID bits are set, all of the above
205 conditions must be fulfilled or both bits are removed.
207 Appropriate permissions are required for file creation or overwriting.
209 Symbolic links are always followed unless the
211 flag is set, in which case symbolic links are not followed, by default.
216 flags (in conjunction with the
218 flag) cause symbolic links to be followed as described above.
224 options are ignored unless the
227 In addition, these options override each other and the
228 command's actions are determined by the last one specified.
232 Historic versions of the
237 This implementation supports that option, however, its use is strongly
238 discouraged, as it does not correctly copy special files, symbolic links
245 options are non-standard and their use in scripts is not recommended.
255 command is expected to be