Copy SOURCE to DEST, or multiple SOURCE(s) to DIRECTORY.
Mandatory arguments to long options are mandatory for short options too.
Tag | Description |
-a, --archive
|
|
same as -dR --preserve=all
|
--backup[=CONTROL]
|
|
make a backup of each existing destination file
|
-b
|
like --backup but does not accept an argument
|
--copy-contents
|
|
copy contents of special files when recursive
|
-d
|
same as --no-dereference --preserve=link
|
-f, --force
|
|
if an existing destination file cannot be
opened, remove it and try again
|
-i, --interactive
|
|
prompt before overwrite
|
-H
|
follow command-line symbolic links
|
-l, --link
|
link files instead of copying
|
-L, --dereference
|
|
always follow symbolic links
|
-P, --no-dereference
|
|
never follow symbolic links
|
-p
|
same as --preserve=mode,ownership,timestamps
|
--preserve[=ATTR_LIST]
|
|
preserve the specified attributes (default:
mode,ownership,timestamps), if possible
additional attributes: context, links,
xattr, all
|
-c
|
same as --preserve=context
|
--no-preserve=ATTR_LIST
|
|
dont preserve the specified attributes
|
--parents
|
|
use full source file name under DIRECTORY
|
-R, -r, --recursive
|
|
copy directories recursively
|
--remove-destination
|
|
remove each existing destination file before
attempting to open it (contrast with --force)
|
--sparse=WHEN
|
|
control creation of sparse files
|
--strip-trailing-slashes remove any trailing slashes from each SOURCE
|
|
argument
|
-s, --symbolic-link
|
|
make symbolic links instead of copying
|
-S, --suffix=SUFFIX
|
|
override the usual backup suffix
|
-t, --target-directory=DIRECTORY
|
|
copy all SOURCE arguments into DIRECTORY
|
-T, --no-target-directory
|
|
treat DEST as a normal file
|
-u, --update
|
|
copy only when the SOURCE file is newer
than the destination file or when the
destination file is missing
|
-v, --verbose
|
|
explain what is being done
|
-x, --one-file-system
|
|
stay on this file system
|
-Z, --context=CONTEXT
|
|
set security context of copy to CONTEXT
|
--help
|
display this help and exit
|
--version
|
|
output version information and exit
|
By default, sparse SOURCE files are detected by a crude heuristic and the
corresponding DEST file is made sparse as well. That is the behavior
selected by --sparse=auto. Specify --sparse=always to create a sparse DEST
file whenever the SOURCE file contains a long enough sequence of zero bytes.
Use --sparse=never to inhibit creation of sparse files.
|
The backup suffix is ~, unless set with --suffix or SIMPLE_BACKUP_SUFFIX.
The version control method may be selected via the --backup option or through
the VERSION_CONTROL environment variable. Here are the values:
|
none, off
|
|
never make backups (even if --backup is given)
|
numbered, t
|
|
make numbered backups
|
existing, nil
|
|
numbered if numbered backups exist, simple otherwise
|
simple, never
|
|
always make simple backups
|
As a special case, cp makes a backup of SOURCE when the force and backup
options are given and SOURCE and DEST are the same name for an existing,
regular file.