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 -dpR

–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,owner-
ship,timestamps) and security contexts, if possible;  additional
attributes: links, 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

–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

–help display this help and exit

-Z, –context=CONTEXT
set security context of copy to CONTEXT

–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.

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

Report bugs to <bug-coreutils@gnu.org>.

COPYRIGHT

Copyright (C) 2005 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
This  is  free  software.   You may redistribute copies of it under the
terms      of      the       GNU        General      Public       License
<http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>.     There    is NO WARRANTY, to the
extent permitted by law.

SEE ALSO

The full documentation for cp is maintained as a  Texinfo  manual.   If
the  info and cp programs are properly installed at your site, the com-
mand

info cp

should give you access to the complete manual.