cp

NAME

       cp - copy files

SYNOPSIS

       cp [options] source dest
       cp [options] source... directory
       Options:
       [-abdfilprsuvxPR]  [-S backup-suffix] [-V {numbered,exist-
       ing,simple}]   [--backup]   [--no-dereference]   [--force]
       [--interactive] [--one-file-system] [--preserve] [--recur-
       sive]  [--update]   [--verbose]   [--suffix=backup-suffix]
       [--version-control={numbered,existing,simple}] [--archive]
       [--parents] [--link]  [--symbolic-link]  [--help]  [--ver-
       sion]

DESCRIPTION

       This  manual page documents the GNU version of cp.  If the
       last argument names an existing directory, cp copies  each
       other  given  file  into a file with the same name in that
       directory.  Otherwise, if only two  files  are  given,  it
       copies  the  first onto the second.  It is an error if the
       last argument is not a directory and more than  two  files
       are given.  By default, it does not copy directories.

   OPTIONS
       -a, --archive
              Preserve  as  much as possible of the structure and
              attributes of the original files in the copy.   The
              same as -dpR.

       -b, --backup
              Make  backups  of  files that are about to be over-
              written or removed.

       -d, --no-dereference
              Copy symbolic links as symbolic links  rather  than
              copying  the files that they point to, and preserve
              hard link relationships between source files in the
              copies.

       -f, --force
              Remove existing destination files.

       -i, --interactive
              Prompt whether to overwrite existing regular desti-
              nation files.

       -l, --link
              Make hard links instead of copies  of  non-directo-
              ries.

       -P, --parents
              Form the name of each destination file by appending
              to the target directory a slash and  the  specified
              name  of  the source file.  The last argument given
              to cp must be the name of  an  existing  directory.
              For example, the command `cp --parents a/b/c exist-
              ing_dir'  copies   the   file   a/b/c   to   exist-
              ing_dir/a/b/c,  creating  any  missing intermediate
              directories.

       -p, --preserve
              Preserve the original files' owner, group,  permis-
              sions, and timestamps.

       -r     Copy  directories  recursively,  copying  all  non-
              directories as if they were regular files.

       -s, --symbolic-link
              Make symbolic links instead of copies of non-direc-
              tories.   All  source  filenames  must  be absolute
              (starting with `/') unless  the  destination  files
              are in the current directory.  This option produces
              an error message on systems  that  do  not  support
              symbolic links.

       -u, --update
              Do  not  copy  a  nondirectory that has an existing
              destination with the  same  or  newer  modification
              time.

       -v, --verbose
              Print the name of each file before copying it.

       -x, --one-file-system
              Skip  subdirectories that are on different filesys-
              tems from the one that the copy started on.

       -R, --recursive
              Copy directories recursively.

       --help Print a usage message on standard output  and  exit
              successfully.

       --version
              Print  version  information on standard output then
              exit successfully.

       -S, --suffix backup-suffix
              The suffix used for making simple backup files  can
              be  set  with  the SIMPLE_BACKUP_SUFFIX environment
              variable, which can be overridden by  this  option.
              If  neither  of those is given, the default is `~',
              as it is in Emacs.

       -V, --version-control {numbered,existing,simple}
              The type of backups made can be set with  the  VER-
              SION_CONTROL  environment  variable,  which  can be
              overridden by this option.  If  VERSION_CONTROL  is
              not  set  and this option is not given, the default
              backup type is `existing'.  The value of  the  VER-
              SION_CONTROL  environment variable and the argument
              to this option are like the GNU Emacs `version-con-
              trol'  variable;  they also recognize synonyms that
              are more descriptive.  The valid values are (unique
              abbreviations are accepted):

              `t' or `numbered'
                     Always make numbered backups.

              `nil' or `existing'
                     Make  numbered backups of files that already
                     have them, simple backups of the others.

              `never' or `simple'
                     Always make simple backups.