1CP(1)                            User Commands                           CP(1)
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NAME

6       cp - copy files and directories
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SYNOPSIS

9       cp [OPTION]... [-T] SOURCE DEST
10       cp [OPTION]... SOURCE... DIRECTORY
11       cp [OPTION]... -t DIRECTORY SOURCE...
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DESCRIPTION

14       Copy SOURCE to DEST, or multiple SOURCE(s) to DIRECTORY.
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16       Mandatory  arguments  to  long  options are mandatory for short options
17       too.
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19       -a, --archive
20              same as -dR --preserve=all
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22       --backup[=CONTROL]
23              make a backup of each existing destination file
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25       -b     like --backup but does not accept an argument
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27       --copy-contents
28              copy contents of special files when recursive
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30       -d     same as --no-dereference --preserve=links
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32       -f, --force
33              if an existing destination file cannot be opened, remove it  and
34              try again (redundant if the -n option is used)
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36       -i, --interactive
37              prompt before overwrite (overrides a previous -n option)
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39       -H     follow command-line symbolic links in SOURCE
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41       -l, --link
42              link files instead of copying
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44       -L, --dereference
45              always follow symbolic links in SOURCE
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47       -n, --no-clobber
48              do  not  overwrite  an  existing  file  (overrides a previous -i
49              option)
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51       -P, --no-dereference
52              never follow symbolic links in SOURCE
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54       -p     same as --preserve=mode,ownership,timestamps
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56       --preserve[=ATTR_LIST]
57              preserve the specified attributes (default: mode,ownership,time‐
58              stamps),  if  possible  additional  attributes:  context, links,
59              xattr, all
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61       -c     same as --preserve=context
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63       --no-preserve=ATTR_LIST
64              don't preserve the specified attributes
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66       --parents
67              use full source file name under DIRECTORY
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69       -R, -r, --recursive
70              copy directories recursively
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72       --reflink[=WHEN]
73              control clone/CoW copies. See below
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75       --remove-destination
76              remove each existing destination file before attempting to  open
77              it (contrast with --force)
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79       --sparse=WHEN
80              control creation of sparse files. See below
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82       --strip-trailing-slashes
83              remove any trailing slashes from each SOURCE argument
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85       -s, --symbolic-link
86              make symbolic links instead of copying
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88       -S, --suffix=SUFFIX
89              override the usual backup suffix
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91       -t, --target-directory=DIRECTORY
92              copy all SOURCE arguments into DIRECTORY
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94       -T, --no-target-directory
95              treat DEST as a normal file
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97       -u, --update
98              copy  only  when  the  SOURCE file is newer than the destination
99              file or when the destination file is missing
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101       -v, --verbose
102              explain what is being done
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104       -x, --one-file-system
105              stay on this file system
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107       -Z, --context=CONTEXT
108              set security context of copy to CONTEXT
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110       --help display this help and exit
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112       --version
113              output version information and exit
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115       By default, sparse SOURCE files are detected by a crude  heuristic  and
116       the corresponding DEST file is made sparse as well.  That is the behav‐
117       ior selected by --sparse=auto.  Specify  --sparse=always  to  create  a
118       sparse  DEST  file  whenever  the  SOURCE  file  contains a long enough
119       sequence of zero bytes.  Use  --sparse=never  to  inhibit  creation  of
120       sparse files.
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122       When --reflink[=always] is specified, perform a lightweight copy, where
123       the data blocks are copied only when modified.  If this is not possible
124       the copy fails, or if --reflink=auto is specified, fall back to a stan‐
125       dard copy.
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127       The  backup  suffix  is  `~',  unless  set  with   --suffix   or   SIM‐
128       PLE_BACKUP_SUFFIX.   The version control method may be selected via the
129       --backup option or through the  VERSION_CONTROL  environment  variable.
130       Here are the values:
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132       none, off
133              never make backups (even if --backup is given)
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135       numbered, t
136              make numbered backups
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138       existing, nil
139              numbered if numbered backups exist, simple otherwise
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141       simple, never
142              always make simple backups
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144       As  a  special  case,  cp  makes  a backup of SOURCE when the force and
145       backup options are given and SOURCE and DEST are the same name  for  an
146       existing, regular file.
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AUTHOR

149       Written by Torbjorn Granlund, David MacKenzie, and Jim Meyering.
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REPORTING BUGS

152       Report cp bugs to bug-coreutils@gnu.org
153       GNU coreutils home page: <http://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/>
154       General help using GNU software: <http://www.gnu.org/gethelp/>
155       Report cp translation bugs to <http://translationproject.org/team/>
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COPYRIGHT

158       Copyright  ©  2010  Free Software Foundation, Inc.  License GPLv3+: GNU
159       GPL version 3 or later <http://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>.
160       This is free software: you are free  to  change  and  redistribute  it.
161       There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.
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SEE ALSO

164       The  full  documentation  for cp is maintained as a Texinfo manual.  If
165       the info and cp programs are properly installed at your site, the  com‐
166       mand
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168              info coreutils 'cp invocation'
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170       should give you access to the complete manual.
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174GNU coreutils 8.5                November 2010                           CP(1)