cp - copy files

SYNOPSIS

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

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-
              directories.

       -P, --parents
              Form the name of each destination file by appending
              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-
              directories.  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-
              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-
              control'  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.