Name
cp
Synopsis
cp [options
]file1 file
cp [options
]files directory
Copies file1
to file2
, or copies one or more files
to the same names under directory
. If the destination is an existing file, the file is overwritten; if the destination is an existing directory, the file is copied into the directory (the directory is not overwritten). If one of the inputs is a directory, uses the -R option.
cp doesn’t preserve resource forks or HFS metadata when copying files that contain them. For such files, use CpMac or ditto instead.
Options
- -f
Remove the target file, if it exists, before creating the new copy. Also, don’t prompt for confirmation of overwrites. Overrides previous -i or -n options.
- -H
If any of the pathnames given in the command line are symbolic links, follow only those links during recursive operation. Works only with the -R option.
- -i
Prompt for confirmation (
y
for yes) before overwriting an existing file.- -L
Follow all symbolic links during recursive operation. Works only with the -R option.
- -n
Doesn’t overwrite existing target file. Overrides previous -f or -i options.
- -p
Preserve the modification time and permission modes for the copied file. (Normally cp supplies the permissions of the invoking user.)
- -P
Follow no symbolic links during recursive operation. Works only with the -R option (the default).
- -R
Recursively copy a directory, its files, and its subdirectories to a destination
directory
, duplicating the tree structure. (This option is used with the second command-line ...
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