NAME

cp, ln, mv − copy, link or move files

SYNOPSIS

cp file1 [ file2 ...] target
ln [ −f −s ] file1 [ file2 ...] target
mv [ −f ] file1 [ file2 ...] target

DESCRIPTION

file1 is copied (linked, moved) to target. Under no circumstance can file1 and target be the same (take care when using sh(1) metacharacters). If target is a directory, then one or more files are copied (linked, moved) to that directory.  If target is a file, its contents are destroyed. 

If mv or ln determines that the mode of target forbids writing, it will print the mode (see chmod(2)), ask for a response, and read the standard input for one line; if the line begins with y, the mv or ln occurs, if permissable; if not, the command exits.  When the −f option is used or if the standard input is not a terminal, no questions are asked and the mv or ln is done. 

The −s option causes ln to create symbolic links.  You may not create a symbolic link to a target file if the file already exists.  There are no checks on the existence of the source of the symbolic link. 

A symbolic link contains the name of the file to which it is linked.  The referenced file is used when an open(2) operation is performed on the link. A stat(2) on a symbolic link will return the linked-to file; an lstat(2) must be done to obtain information about the link. The readlink(2) call may be used to read the contents of a symbolic link. Symbolic links may span file systems and may refer to directories.

Only mv will allow file1 to be a directory, in which case the directory rename will occur only if the two directories have the same parent; file1 is renamed target. If file1 is a file and target is a link to another file with links, the other links remain and target becomes a new file. 

When using cp, if target is not a file, a new file is created which has the same mode as file1 except that the sticky bit is not set unless you are super-user; the owner and group of target are those of the user.  If target is a file, copying a file into target does not change its mode, owner, nor group.  The last modification time of target (and last access time, if target did not exist) and the last access time of file1 are set to the time the copy was made.  If target is a link to a file, all links remain and the file is changed. 

SEE ALSO

chmod(1), cpio(1), rm(1). 

WARNINGS

ln will not create hard links across file systems.  This restriction is necessary because file systems can be added and removed. 

BUGS

If file1 and target lie on different file systems, mv must copy the file and delete the original.  In this case any linking relationship with other files is lost. 

September 29, 2021