CP(1)                            User Commands                           CP(1)



NAME
       cp - copy files and directories

SYNOPSIS
       cp [OPTION]... [-T] SOURCE DEST
       cp [OPTION]... SOURCE... DIRECTORY
       cp [OPTION]... -t DIRECTORY SOURCE...

DESCRIPTION
       Copy SOURCE to DEST, or multiple SOURCE(s) to DIRECTORY.

       Mandatory  arguments  to  long  options are mandatory for short options
       too.

       -a, --archive
              same as -dR --preserve=all

       --attributes-only
              don't copy the file data, just the attributes

       --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=links

       -f, --force
              if an existing destination file cannot be opened, remove it  and
              try  again  (this  option  is ignored when the -n option is also
              used)

       -i, --interactive
              prompt before overwrite (overrides a previous -n option)

       -H     follow command-line symbolic links in SOURCE

       -l, --link
              hard link files instead of copying

       -L, --dereference
              always follow symbolic links in SOURCE

       -n, --no-clobber
              do not overwrite an  existing  file  (overrides  a  previous  -i
              option)

       -P, --no-dereference
              never follow symbolic links in SOURCE

       -p     same as --preserve=mode,ownership,timestamps

       --preserve[=ATTR_LIST]
              preserve the specified attributes (default: mode,ownership,time-
              stamps), if  possible  additional  attributes:  context,  links,
              xattr, all

       --no-preserve=ATTR_LIST
              don't preserve the specified attributes

       --parents
              use full source file name under DIRECTORY

       -R, -r, --recursive
              copy directories recursively

       --reflink[=WHEN]
              control clone/CoW copies. See below

       --remove-destination
              remove  each existing destination file before attempting to open
              it (contrast with --force)

       --sparse=WHEN
              control creation of sparse files. See below

       --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     set SELinux security context of destination file to default type

       --context[=CTX]
              like  -Z,  or  if CTX is specified then set the SELinux or SMACK
              security context to CTX

       --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 behav-
       ior 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.

       When --reflink[=always] is specified, perform a lightweight copy, where
       the data blocks are copied only when modified.  If this is not possible
       the copy fails, or if --reflink=auto is specified, fall back to a stan-
       dard copy.

       The  backup  suffix  is  '~',  unless  set  with   --suffix   or   SIM-
       PLE_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.

AUTHOR
       Written by Torbjorn Granlund, David MacKenzie, and Jim Meyering.

REPORTING BUGS
       GNU coreutils online help: <http://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/>
       Report cp translation bugs to <http://translationproject.org/team/>

COPYRIGHT
       Copyright  (C) 2014 Free Software Foundation, Inc.  License GPLv3+: GNU
       GPL version 3 or later <http://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>.
       This is free software: you are free  to  change  and  redistribute  it.
       There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.

SEE ALSO
       Full documentation at: <http://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/cp>
       or available locally via: info '(coreutils) cp invocation'



GNU coreutils 8.23                March 2015                             CP(1)
