CP(1)                       386BSD Reference Manual                      CP(1)

NAME
     cp - copy files

SYNOPSIS
     cp [-Rfhip] source_file target_file
     cp [-Rfhip] source_file ... target_directory

DESCRIPTION
     In the first synopsis form, the cp utility copies the contents of the
     source_file to the target_file. In the second synopsis form, the contents
     of each named source_file is copied to the destination target_directory.
     The names of the files themselves are not changed.  If cp detects an
     attempt to copy a file to itself, the copy will fail.

     The following options are available:

     -R    If source_file designates a directory, cp copies the directory and
           the entire subtree connected at that point.  This option also
           causes symbolic links to be copied, rather than indirected through,
           and for cp to create special files rather than copying them as
           normal files.  Created directories have the same mode as the
           corresponding source directory, unmodified by the process' umask.

     -f    For each existing destination pathname, remove it and create a new
           file, without prompting for confirmation regardless of its
           permissions.  (The -i option is ignored if the -f option is
           specified.)

     -h    Forces cp to follow symbolic links.  Provided for the -R option
           which does not follow symbolic links by default.

     -i    Causes cp to write a prompt to standard error before copying a file
           that would overwrite an existing file.  If the response from the
           standard input begins with the character `y', the file is copied if
           permissions allow the copy.

     -p    Causes cp to preserve in the copy as many of the modification time,
           access time, file mode, user ID, and group ID as allowed by
           permissions.

           If the user ID and group ID cannot be preserved, no error message
           is displayed and the exit value is not altered.

           If the source file has its set user ID bit on and the user ID
           cannot be preserved, the set user ID bit is not preserved in the
           copy's permissions.  If the source file has its set group ID bit on
           and the group ID cannot be preserved, the set group ID bit is not
           preserved in the copy's permissions.  If the source file has both
           the set user ID and set group ID bits on and either the user ID or
           group ID cannot be preserved, neither the set user ID or set group
           ID bits are preserved in the copy's permissions.

     For each destination file that already exists, its contents are
     overwritten if permissions allow, but its mode, user ID, and group ID are
     unchanged.

     If the destination file does not exist, the mode of the source file is
     used as modified by the file mode creation mask (umask, see csh(1)).  If
     the source file has its set user ID bit on, that bit is removed unless
     both the source file and the destination file are owned by the same user.
     If the source file has its set group ID bit on, that bit is removed
     unless both the source file and the destination file are in the same
     group and the user is a member of that group.  If both the set user ID
     and set group ID bits are set, all of the above conditions must be
     fulfilled or both bits are removed.

     Appropriate permissions are required for file creation or overwriting.

     Symbolic links are followed unless the -R option is specified, in which
     case the link itself is copied.

     Cp exits 0 on success, >0 if an error occurred.

SEE ALSO
     mv(1),  rcp(1),  umask(2)

HISTORY
     The cp command is expected to be IEEE Std1003.2 (``POSIX'') compatible.

4th Berkeley Distribution        July 30, 1991                               2