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Linux commands

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Command:

cp 		copies files or directories from source to destination

http://www.linfo.org/cp.html



Description of commmand / detailed explanation:
cp command copy files from one location to another. If the destination is an existing file, then the file is overwritten; if the destination is an existing directory, the file is copied into the directory (the directory is not overwritten).


cp (copy): Copies a file from one location (or name) to another. i.e.: "cp file1.txt file2.txt" creates a copy of file1.txt and calls it file2.txt. "cp file.txt subdir/file.txt" creates a new file called file.txt in the sub-directory called "subdir". Unlike the move (mv) command, cp does not erase the original file.
Command options:
-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=link
--no-dereference never follow symbolic 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
-l, --link link files instead of copying
-L, --dereference always follow symbolic links
-p same as --preserve=mode,ownership,timestamps
--preserve[=ATTR_LIST] preserve the specified attributes (default: mode,ownership,timestamps), if possible additional attributes: links,
all
--no-preserve=ATTR_LIST don't preserve the specified attributes
--parents append source path to DIRECTORY
-P same as '--no-dereference'
-R, -r, --recursive copy directories recursively
--remove-destination remove each existing destination file before attempting to open it (contrast with --force)
--reply={yes,no,query} specify how to handle the prompt about an existing destination file
--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
--target-directory=DIRECTORY move all SOURCE arguments into DIRECTORY
-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



How to use it: cp [OPTION]... SOURCE DEST || cp [OPTION]... SOURCE... DIRECTORY || cp [OPTION]... --target-directory=DIRECTORY SOURCE...
Typical Usage Examples:

- cp file1.txt newdir

Copies the file1.txt in the current directory to the newdir directory.

- cp /home/public_html/mylog.txt /home/public_html/backup/mylog.bak

Copies the mylog.txt file in the public_html directory into the public_html/backup directory as mylog.bak. The files are identical however have different names.

- cp *.txt newdir

Copy all files ending in .txt into the newdir directory.

- cp -r /home/hope/files/* /home/hope/backup

Copies all the files, directories, and subdirectories in the files directory into the backup directory.


Available in:

debian
fedora
gentoo
suse
mandriva
ubuntu
 Related commands:

mv
cd
mkdir
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