copy(1) UNIX System V(Application Compatibility Package) copy(1)
NAME
copy - copy groups of files
SYNOPSIS
copy [option]. . .source. . .dest
DESCRIPTION
The copy command copies the contents of directories to another directory.
It is possible to copy whole file systems since directories are made when
needed.
If files, directories, or special files do not exist at the destination,
then they are created with the same modes and flags as the source. In
addition, the super-user may set the user and group ID. The owner and
mode are not changed if the destination file exists. Note that there may
be more than one source directory. If so, the effect is the same as if
the copy command had been issued for each source directory with the same
destination directory for each copy.
All of the options must be given as separate arguments, and they may
appear in any order even after the other arguments. The arguments are:
-a Asks the user before attempting a copy. If the response does
not begin with a "y", then a copy is not done. This option
also sets the ad option.
-l Uses links instead whenever they can be used. Otherwise a copy
is done. Note that links are never done for special files or
directories.
-n Requires the destination file to be new. If not, then the copy
command does not change the destination file. The -n flag is
meaningless for directories. For special files an -n flag is
assumed (that is, the destination of a special file must not
exist).
-o If set then every file copied has its owner and group set to
those of source. If not set, then the file's owner is the user
who invoked the program.
-m If set, then every file copied has its modification time and
access time set to that of the source. If not set, then the
modification time is set to the time of the copy.
-r If set, then every directory is recursively examined as it is
encountered. If not set, then any directories that are found
are ignored.
-ad Asks the user whether an -r flag applies when a directory is
discovered. If the answer does not begin with a ``y'', then
the directory is ignored.
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copy(1) UNIX System V(Application Compatibility Package) copy(1)
-v If the verbose option is set, messages are printed that reveal
what the program is doing.
source This may be a file, directory or special file. It must exist.
If it is not a directory, then the results of the command are
the same as for the cp command.
dest The destination must be either a file or directory that is
different from the source. If source and destination are
anything but directories, then copy acts just like a cp
command. If both are directories, then copy copies each file
into the destination directory according to the flags that have
been set.
NOTES
Special device files can be copied. When they are copied, any data
associated with the specified device is not copied.
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