CP(1)				 User Commands				 CP(1)



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=links

       -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 in SOURCE

       -l, --link
	      link files instead of copying

       -L, --dereference
	      always follow symbolic links in SOURCE

       -P, --no-dereference
	      never follow symbolic links in SOURCE

       -p     same as --preserve=mode,ownership,timestamps

       --preserve[=ATTR_LIST]
	      preserve	 the   specified   attributes	(default:  mode,owner-
	      ship,timestamps), if possible  additional  attributes:  context,
	      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

       --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) 2008 Free Software Foundation, Inc.  License GPLv3+: GNU
       GPL version 3 or later <http://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>
       This is free software: you are free  to	change	and  redistribute  it.
       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 coreutils 'cp invocation'

       should give you access to the complete manual.



GNU coreutils 6.10		  April 2008				 CP(1)