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35 .\" @(#)cp.1 8.3 (Berkeley) 4/18/94
36 .\" $FreeBSD: src/bin/cp/cp.1,v 1.33 2005/02/25 00:40:46 trhodes Exp $
37 .\" $DragonFly: src/bin/cp/cp.1,v 1.6 2005/08/01 01:49:16 swildner 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.
105 the contents of the directory are copied rather than the
107 This option also causes symbolic links to be copied, rather than
108 indirected through, and for
110 to create special files rather than copying them as normal files.
111 Created directories have the same mode as the corresponding source
112 directory, unmodified by the process' umask.
116 copies hard linked files as separate files.
117 If you need to preserve hard links, consider using
124 For each existing destination pathname, remove it and
125 create a new file, without prompting for confirmation
126 regardless of its permissions.
129 option overrides any previous
137 to write a prompt to the standard error output before copying a file
138 that would overwrite an existing file.
139 If the response from the standard input begins with the character
143 the file copy is attempted.
146 option overrides any previous
152 Do not overwrite an existing file.
155 option overrides any previous
163 to preserve the following attributes of each source
164 file in the copy: modification time, access time,
165 file flags, file mode, user ID, and group ID, as allowed by permissions.
167 If the user ID and group ID cannot be preserved, no error message
168 is displayed and the exit value is not altered.
170 If the source file has its set-user-ID bit on and the user ID cannot
171 be preserved, the set-user-ID bit is not preserved
172 in the copy's permissions.
173 If the source file has its set-group-ID bit on and the group ID cannot
174 be preserved, the set-group-ID bit is not preserved
175 in the copy's permissions.
176 If the source file has both its set-user-ID and set-group-ID bits on,
177 and either the user ID or group ID cannot be preserved, neither
178 the set-user-ID nor set-group-ID bits are preserved in the copy's
183 to be verbose, showing files as they are copied.
186 For each destination file that already exists, its contents are
187 overwritten if permissions allow.
188 Its mode, user ID, and group
189 ID are unchanged unless the
191 option was specified.
193 In the second synopsis form,
195 must exist unless there is only one named
197 which is a directory and the
201 If the destination file does not exist, the mode of the source file is
202 used as modified by the file mode creation mask
206 If the source file has its set-user-ID bit on, that bit is removed
207 unless both the source file and the destination file are owned by the
209 If the source file has its set-group-ID bit on, that bit is removed
210 unless both the source file and the destination file are in the same
211 group and the user is a member of that group.
212 If both the set-user-ID and set-group-ID bits are set, all of the above
213 conditions must be fulfilled or both bits are removed.
215 Appropriate permissions are required for file creation or overwriting.
217 Symbolic links are always followed unless the
219 flag is set, in which case symbolic links are not followed, by default.
224 flags (in conjunction with the
226 flag) cause symbolic links to be followed as described above.
232 options are ignored unless the
235 In addition, these options override each other and the
236 command's actions are determined by the last one specified.
246 signal, the current input and output file and the percentage complete
247 will be written to standard error.
251 Historic versions of the
256 This implementation supports that option, however, its use is strongly
257 discouraged, as it does not correctly copy special files, symbolic links
264 options are non-standard and their use in scripts is not recommended.
274 command is expected to be