CP(1)                   System General Commands Manual                   CP(1)

NAME
     cp - copy files

SYNOPSIS
     cp [-adfhimpv] [-Rr [-H | -L | -P]] source_file target_file
     cp [-adfhimpv] [-Rr [-H | -L | -P]] source_file ... target_directory

DESCRIPTION
     In the first synopsis form, the cp utility copies the contents of the
     source_file to the target_file.  In the second synopsis form, the con-
     tents of each named source_file are copied to the destination
     target_directory.  The names of the files themselves are not changed.  If
     cp detects an attempt to copy a file to itself, the copy will fail.

     The options are as follows:

     -a, --archive
             This is the same as specifying the options -d, -p and -R at the
             same time.

     -d, --no-dereference
             Preserve any symbolic links instead of the default action (as
             happens when the -R option is used).

     -f, --force
             For each existing destination pathname, remove it and create a
             new file, without prompting for confirmation, regardless of its
             permissions.  When specified with the -i option the winning
             option will be the last occurrence of -f or -i.

     -h      Relatively maintain hard links for the files copied. If a file is
             hard linked but no other related hard link file is specified then
             the file is just copied.

     -H      If the -R option is also specified, symbolic links on the com-
             mand-line are followed.  (Symbolic links encountered in the tree
             traversal are not followed.)

     -i, --interactive
             Write a prompt to the standard error output before copying a file
             that would overwrite an existing file.  If the response from the
             standard input begins with the character `y', the file copy is
             attempted. When specified with the -f option the winning option
             will be the last occurrence of -f or -i.

     -L, --dereference
             If the -R option is also specified, all symbolic links are fol-
             lowed.

     -m, --maintain
             Maintain the access and modify time stamps on the copied files of
             the original files, respectively.

     -P      If the -R option is also specified, no symbolic links are fol-
             lowed.

     -p, --preserve
             Preserve in the copy as many of the modification time, access
             time, file flags, file mode, user ID, and group ID as allowed by
             permissions.

             If the user ID and group ID cannot be preserved, no error message
             is displayed and the exit value is not altered.

             If the source file has its set-user-ID bit on and the user ID
             cannot be preserved, the set-user-ID bit is not preserved in the
             copy's permissions.  If the source file has its set-group-ID bit
             on and the group ID cannot be preserved, the set-group-ID bit is
             not preserved in the copy's permissions.  If the source file has
             both its set-user-ID and set-group-ID bits on, and either the
             user ID or group ID cannot be preserved, neither the set-user-ID
             nor set-group-ID bits are preserved in the copy's permissions.

     -R, --recursive
             If source_file designates a directory, cp copies the directory
             and the entire subtree connected at that point.  Created directo-
             ries have the same mode as the corresponding source directory,
             unmodified by the process's umask.

             This option also causes symbolic links to be copied, rather than
             followed, and special files to be created, rather than being
             copied as normal files (unless the option -L is specified).  How-
             ever, cp copies hard linked files as separate files.  To preserve
             hard links, use a utility such as pax(1) or tar(1) instead. Can-
             not be used with the -r option.

     -r      Similar to the -R option but special files (e.g. FIFO's) are not
             copied. Cannot be used with the -R option.

     -v, --verbose
             Output the files being processed.

     For each destination file that already exists, its contents are overwrit-
     ten if permissions allow, but its mode, user ID, and group ID are
     unchanged (unless the -m option is specified).

     In the second synopsis form, target_directory must exist unless there is
     only one named source_file which is a directory and the -R flag is speci-
     fied.

     If the destination file does not exist, the mode of the source file is
     used as modified by the file mode creation mask (umask, see csh(1)).  If
     the source file has its set-user-ID bit on, that bit is removed unless
     both the source file and the destination file are owned by the same user.
     If the source file has its set-group-ID bit on, that bit is removed
     unless both the source file and the destination file are in the same
     group and the user is a member of that group.  If both the set-user-ID
     and set-group-ID bits are set, all of the above conditions must be ful-
     filled or both bits are removed.

     Appropriate permissions are required for file creation or overwriting.

     Symbolic links are always followed unless the -R flag is set, in which
     case symbolic links are not followed, by default.  The -H or -L flags (in
     conjunction with the -R flag) cause symbolic links to be followed as
     described above.  The -H, -L, and -P options are ignored unless the -R
     option is specified.  In addition, these options override each other and
     the command's actions are determined by the last one specified.

     The cp utility exits 0 on success or >0 if an error occurred.

EXAMPLES
     Make a copy of file foo named bar:

           $ cp foo bar

     Copy a group of files to the /tmp directory:

           $ cp *.txt /tmp

     Copy the directory junk and all of its contents (including any subdirec-
     tories) to the /tmp directory:

           $ cp -R junk /tmp

ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES
     INSTALL_DISPLAY  Display the full path of each file copied when this
                      environment variable is set.

SEE ALSO
     mv(1), rcp(1), umask(2), fts(3), symlink(7)

STANDARDS
     Historic versions of the cp utility had a -r option.  This implementation
     supports that option; however, its use is strongly discouraged, as it
     does not correctly copy special files, symbolic links or FIFOs.

     The cp utility is IEEE Std 1003.2 (``POSIX.2'') and SUS compatible.

HISTORY
     A cp command appeared in Version 1 AT&T UNIX.

Interix                        October 19, 2008                        Interix