CP(1)                      OpenBSD Reference Manual                      CP(1)

NAME
     cp - copy files



SYNOPSIS
     cp [-R [-H | -L | -P]] [-fip] source_file target_file
     cp [-R [-H | -L | -P]] [-fip] 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 contents
     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 at-
     tempt to copy a file to itself, the copy will fail.

     The options are as follows:

     -R    If source_file designates a directory, cp copies the directory and
           the entire subtree connected at that point.  This option also caus-
           es symbolic links to be copied, rather than followed, and special
           files to be created, rather than being copied as normal files.
           Created directories have the same mode as the corresponding source
           directory, unmodified by the process's umask.

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

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

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

     -f    For each existing destination pathname, remove it and create a new
           file, without prompting for confirmation, regardless of its permis-
           sions. This option overrides any use of -i.

     -i    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 at-
           tempted.

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

           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 can-
           not 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.

     For each destination file that already exists, its contents are overwrit-
     ten if permissions allow, but its mode, user ID, and group ID are un-
     changed.

     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 un-
     less 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 fulfilled 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 de-
     scribed above.  The -H, -L and -P options are ignored unless the -R op-
     tion 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

COMPATIBILITY
     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.

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

STANDARDS
     The cp utility is expected to be IEEE Std1003.2 (``POSIX.2'') compatible.

OpenBSD 2.6                     April 18, 1994                               2