CPIO(1) DOMAIN/IX Reference Manual (SYS5) CPIO(1)
NAME
cpio - copy file archives in and out
USAGE
cpio -o [ acBv ]
cpio -i [ BcdmrtuvfsSb6 ] [ patterns ]
cpio -p [ adlmruv ] directory
DESCRIPTION
Cpio -o (copy out) reads the standard input to obtain a list
of pathnames. It then copies the files found onto the stan-
dard output, together with pathname and status information.
Output is padded to a 512-byte boundary.
Cpio -i (copy in) extracts files from the standard input,
which is assumed to be the product of a previous cpio -o.
Only files with names that match patterns are selected.
Patterns are given in the name-generating notation of sh
(1). In patterns, the question mark (?), asterisk (*), and
[...] match the slash (/) character. You may specify multi-
ple patterns. If you do not specify any patterns, the
default for patterns becomes an asterisk (i.e., meaning to
select all files). The extracted files are conditionally
created and copied into the current directory tree based
upon the options described below. The permissions of the
files are those of the previous cpio -o. The owner and
group of the files are that of the current user (unless the
user is super-user, which causes cpio to retain the owner
and group of the files of the previous cpio -o).
Cpio -p (pass) reads the standard input to obtain a list of
file pathnames that are conditionally created and copied
into the destination directory tree based on the keyletter
arguments described below.
KEYLETTER ARGUMENTS
a Reset the access times of input files after they
have been copied.
c Write header information in ASCII character form
for portability.
d Create directories as needed.
r Interactively rename files. If a null line is
input, skip the file.
t Print a table of contents of the input, but create
no files.
Printed 6/10/85 CPIO-1
CPIO(1) DOMAIN/IX Reference Manual (SYS5) CPIO(1)
u Copy unconditionally (e.g., an older file can
replace a newer file with the same name).
v Print a verbose list of filenames. When used with
the t keyletter argument described above, the
table of contents generated looks like the output
of the ls (1) command used with the -l option
(i.e., ls-l).
l Whenever possible, link files rather than copying
them. This option is only usable with the -p
(pass) option.
m Retain previous file modification time. Ineffec-
tive on directories being copied.
f Copy in all files except those in patterns.
s Swap bytes. Use only with the -i (copy in)
option.
S Swap halfwords. Use only with the -i (copy in)
option.
b Swap both bytes and halfwords. Use only with the
-i (copy in) option.
6 Process an old (e.g., UNIX System Sixth Edition
format) file. This option is Only useful with the
-i (copy in) option.
h Swap bytes in header information for VAX to 68000
and vice-versa (i.e., writing on one type of
machine and reading on a different type of
machine).
EXAMPLE
To copy the contents of a directory into an archive, use the
following command:
ls | cpio -o >/dev/mt/0m
CAUTIONS
Pathnames are restricted to 128 characters. If too many
unique linked files exist, the program runs out of memory to
keep track of them and, thereafter, loses linking informa-
tion.
Only the super-user can copy special files.
RELATED INFORMATION
ar (1), find (1), ls (1), sh (1), cpio (4).
CPIO-2 Printed 6/10/85