cp - copy files and directories

Usage

cp [OPTION]... SOURCE DEST
cp [OPTION]... SOURCE... DIRECTORY

Copy SOURCE to DEST, or multiple SOURCE(s) to DIRECTORY.

Copying

linux3[192]% ls
bar.txt  blah.txt  foo.txt  myDir
linux3[193]% ls myDir
linux3[194]% cp blah.txt myDir
linux3[195]% ls
bar.txt  blah.txt  foo.txt  myDir
linux3[196]% ls myDir
blah.txt
linux3[197]% cp bar.txt foo.txt myDir
linux3[198]% ls
bar.txt  blah.txt  foo.txt  myDir
linux3[199]% ls myDir
bar.txt  blah.txt  foo.txt
linux3[200]%

Copying as a means of backup

linux3[204]% ls
Proj1.c
linux3[205]% cp Proj1.c Proj1.c.bak
linux3[206]% ls
Proj1.c  Proj1.c.bak
linux3[207]%

-r

You can copy directories recursively using the -r flag.

linux3[223]% ls
Proj1
linux3[224]% ls Proj1
Bar.c  Bar.h  Foo.c  Foo.h  Proj1.c
linux3[225]% cp -r Proj1 Proj1-backup
linux3[226]% ls
Proj1  Proj1-backup
linux3[227]% ls Proj1-backup
Bar.c  Bar.h  Foo.c  Foo.h  Proj1.c
linux3[228]%
Daniel J. Hood
Last modified: Thu Sep 30 13:14:02 EDT 2004