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 -dR --preserve=all

       --attributes-only
	      don't copy the file data, just the attributes

       --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 (redundant if the -n option is used)

       -i, --interactive
	      prompt before overwrite (overrides a previous -n option)

       -H     follow command-line symbolic links in SOURCE

       -l, --link
	      hard link files instead of copying

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

       -n, --no-clobber
	      do not overwrite an existing file (overrides a previous -i option)

       -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,ownership,timestamps), if possible additional attributes: context,
	      links, xattr, 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

       --reflink[=WHEN]
	      control clone/CoW copies. See below

       --remove-destination
	      remove each existing destination file before attempting to open it (contrast with --force)

       --sparse=WHEN
	      control creation of sparse files. See below

       --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 behavior 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.

       When --reflink[=always] is specified, perform a lightweight copy, where the data blocks are copied only when modified.	If
       this is not possible the copy fails, or if --reflink=auto is specified, fall back to a standard copy.

       The backup suffix is `~', unless set with --suffix or SIMPLE_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 cp bugs to bug-coreutils@gnu.org
       GNU coreutils home page: <http://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/>
       General help using GNU software: <http://www.gnu.org/gethelp/>
       Report cp translation bugs to <http://translationproject.org/team/>

COPYRIGHT
       Copyright    ©	 2011	 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 command

	      info coreutils 'cp invocation'

       should give you access to the complete manual.



GNU coreutils 8.12.197-032bb				  September 2011						     CP(1)