One Day One GNU/Linux Command (CP)

[Arun Raj]

cp- Copy one or more files to another location

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

Syntax
      cp [options]... Source Dest
      cp [options]... Source... Directory

Key

  -a, --archive                same as -dpR


  -b, --backup                 make backup before removal

  -d, --no-dereference         preserve links

  -f, --force                  remove existing destinations, never prompt

  -i, --interactive            prompt before overwrite


  -l, --link                   link files instead of copying

  -p, --preserve               preserve file attributes if possible

  -P, --parents                append source path to DIRECTORY

  -r                           copy recursively, non-directories as files


      --sparse=WHEN            control creation of sparse files

  -R, --recursive              copy directories recursively

  -s, --symbolic-link          make symbolic links instead of copying

  -S, --suffix=SUFFIX          override the usual backup suffix


  -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


  -V, --version-control=WORD   override the usual version control

  -x, --one-file-system        stay on this file system
      --help                   display this help and exit
      --version                output version information and exit.

Example - copy home directory to floppy

$ cp -f /mnt/floppy/* /home/simon

Notes
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 SIMPLE_BACKUP_SUFFIX.

The version control may be set with VERSION_CONTROL, values are: t, numbered make numbered backups nil, existing numbered if numbered backups exist, simple otherwise never, simple 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.

Related Linux Bash commands:

dd - Data Dump - convert and copy a file (use for RAW storage)
copy - Copy groups of files in directories
install - Copy files and set attributes
mv - Move files
rsync - Remote file copy (Synchronize file trees)
tar - store or extract files to an archive (allows symbolic links to be copied as links)

Windows equivalent commands:

COPY - Copy one or more files to another location
ROBOCOPY - Robust File and Folder Copy
XCOPY - Copy files and folders

--
Fran Lebowitz  - "You're only has good as your last haircut."

[Bharathi Subramanian]

Wow. Somebody is alive in the list. For a long time, I didn't see any
mail or activity in this group. So I thought it became dead group.

Bye :)
--
Bharathi S

[Arun Raj]

many are alive in this group dude......

[Bharathi Subramanian]

On Wed, 18 Jun 2008, Arun Raj wrote:

> many are alive in this group dude......

Good. Semster starting time, I hope work load will be less. You people
should try to organize a Half a day Demo or Tech Talk session at the
dept level in your college. So that, you can spread the FOSS among
your friends.

PS: I am always ready to spend half a day for talk or demo at college.
Plz inform me just 4 or 5 days before the event.

[Arun Raj]

sure dude....
infact we friends have an idea of doing that.

--
Rodney Dangerfield  - "I haven't spoken to my wife in years. I didn't want to interrupt her."