https://invisible-island.net/ded/cm_tools/


copy(man)


NAME

       copy - file/directory copy utility

SYNOPSIS

       copy [options] file1 file2
       copy [options] file ... directory

DESCRIPTION

       Copy  is  an extension of the basic POSIX cp utility.  It copies files,
       preserving their modification date.

       Copy copies file1 onto file2.  It preserves the existing mode of file2.
       If file2 did not exist, copy uses the mode of the source file.

       Copy can also be used to copy one or more files into directory, without
       changing their original filenames.  It refuses  to  copy  a  file  onto
       itself.

       Except  for  symbolic links, file2 will be set to the same modification
       date as file1.  The owner of the file will be the same as the owner  of
       the  process  which invokes copy.  Unless the "-i" option is used, copy
       ignores permissions of the (previous) destination file.

OPTIONS

       Copy recognizes options similar to those of cp, but with extensions:

       -a  include dot-files (names beginning with '.').  This is the default.
           Use this option to override -z, e.g., in  a  script  which  presets
           that option.

       -d  all  names  given  are treated as the destination; the source names
           are obtained by taking the leaves  and  looking  for  them  in  the
           current   working   directory.    This   is  provided  to  simplify
           installation of files in a directory.

       -f  forces copy into protected directories by temporarily changing  the
           destination protection.

       -i  prompt  with  the  name of the file whenever the copy will cause an
           old file to be overwritten.  A "y" answer causes copy to  continue.
           Any other answer prevents it from overwriting the file.

       -l  copy  the  files which symbolic links point to, rather than copying
           the links themselves.

       -m  permits you to merge directories.  If the  source  and  destination
           are  directories,  copy  will normally create a new directory under
           the destination with  the  same  leaf  name  as  the  source.   For
           example,

            copy /local/bin /usr/local/bin

           will  create  and  copy  into the directory "/usr/local/bin/bin" if
           "/usr/local/bin" exists.  Use the  "-m"  option  to  copy  onto  an
           existing directory.

       -n  disables   the  actual  creation  or  modification  of  files,  and
           (depending on the level of verboseness) shows the effect which  the
           copy command would have.

       -p  attempt to preserve file ownership.

       -s  enables the set-uid and set-gid file modes in the target.

       -u  copies  files  only if their size or modification date differs, and
           links only if the link-text differs.

       -U  copies only files that are newer than the destination, or  that  do
           not exist in the destination.

       -v  verbose mode directs copy to print the names (to standard error) of
           the files which it copies.

       -z  omit dot-files (names beginning with '.').

       -S  (Linux  only)  tells  copy that the source is on a filesystem using
           local time, and that appropriate adjustments must be  made  in  the
           timestamp computation.

       -D  (Linux  only)  tells  copy  that the destination is on a filesystem
           using local time, and that appropriate adjustments must be made  in
           the timestamp computation.

OPERATIONS

       Copy is used exactly as one would use cp (for file-copying).  Directory
       copying is performed without the "-r" option of cp.

       Copy recognizes the C-shell "~" (tilde) to denote the home directory of
       POSIX users.

       If  more  than two arguments are given, or if the destination ends with
       "/", copy assumes that  the  user  wants  to  write  into  an  existing
       directory rather than create a new one.

ENVIRONMENT

       Copy is a C-language program which runs in a POSIX environment.

FILES

       Copy is a single binary file, "copy".

ANTICIPATED CHANGES

       Copy  does  not  currently  know  how  to  handle  special files (e.g.,
       /dev/tty).

AUTHORS

       Thomas E. Dickey <dickey@invisible-island.net>

SEE ALSO

       cp (1)

                                  2025-09-28                           COPY(1)