LinuxAsmTools
NAME
copy - copy files and mirror directories
SYNOPSIS
copy <switches> from-path to-path
switches -a = default attributes for destination
-c = copy if file contents different
-d = delete "to" files if "from" not found
-h = help display
-n xxx = no overwrite of files with tail xxx
-s = copy if file sizes different
-t = copy if destination (to) file older
from-path = path to copy
to_path = destination for "from-path" files
DESCRIPTION
copy has a simple interface that can perform some
complex operations. It was designed to support rsync
and mirroring of directories. It can detect copying
identicial files and avoids updating destination. This
leaves the file date unchanged.
Also, copy allows wild card (asterick) present in
both the "from" and "to" file paths. This allows
files to be renamed or selective files copied.
The default state is to copy files, but if
the -t,-s, or -c switches are used, the
state changes to non-forced.
parameters are:
a = set default attributes for destination
Normally the "from-path" attributies are
copied to the destination file. the -a switch
forces the default system attributes instead.
c = copy if destination file contents different
This switch disables copying identical files
when a copy of the file is present at
destination (to) directory.
d = delete destination files if no couresponding "from" file
This switch deletes files in the destination
directory that do not have a couresponding
file in the "from" directory. It is useful
in mirroring a directory.
h = help display
n xxx = no overwrite of files with tail of xxx
This switch overrides all other switches.
If any file ending with tail xxx tries
to overwritee a file it is blocked.
s = copy if destination file size different
This switch disables copying files of same
size, when a copy of the file is present at
destination (to) directory.
t = copy if destination file older
This switch disables copying older files
when a copy of the file is present at
destination (to) directory.
from-path = path to copy
Specifies file or files to copy. If -d switch
is present, this is base directory that
controls deleting of files at to-path
Symbolic link files are ignored. Hard link files
are copied and treated as normal files.
See path rules and transfer matrix
to-path = destination for "from-path" files
Specifies file or files to create. If -d switch
is present, this directory can have files deleted
if they are not present in from-path
See path rules and transfer matrix
PATH RULES
Paths can contain the following:
./ current directory
../ previous directory
name any name in current directory
name/ directory
name/* all files in a directory
*name all files ending with "name"
name* all files starting with "name"
/home/xxx.. full path specification
When a name ends with / it is assumed to
a directory and is equivalent to name/*
The (asterick) only refers to files and can not be
used for directories.
When a path ends with name that matches a
existing directory, this is illegal and
produces error message.
PATHS CONTAINING ASTERISK OR DOT CHARACTERS MUST
BE QUOTED TO AVOID CONFUSING THE SHELL
-
PATH COMBINATIONS
This is simplified list of all possible path combinations.
If both paths are the same, some options will
produce an error. For example:
copy name1 "*"
copy "*" "*"
copy "./*" "./*"
from path to path description
--------- -------- ---------------------------------------
name1 name2 simple copy of file1 to file2
name1 *name2 copy and append names
name1 name2* copy and append names
name1 * copy name1 to name1
*name1 name2 copy all matching files to name2 (append)
*name1 *name2 copy and rename
*name1 name2* copy and rename
*name1 * copy files ending with name1
name1* name2 copy all matching files to name2 (append)
name1* *name2 copy and rename
name1* name2* copy and rename
name1* * copy files starting with name1
* name2 append all files to name2
* *name2 copy and rename
* name2* copy and rename
* * copy all files, retain name
EXAMPLES
To copy all files from current directory to directory dog
copy "*" dog/
To mirror the current directory to directory dog. Files
are copied even if they already exist in destination dir.
Any extra files are deleted from destination.
copy -d "*" dog/
To mirror the current directory to directory dog. Only
files that are different are copied. Any extra files at
"dog" are ignored.
copy -c "*" dog/
To append all files ending with .txt into a file called
summary.
copy "*.txt" summary
Copy all files ending with ".txt" to a new set of files
ending with ".bak"
copy "*.txt" "*.bak"
AUTHOR
Jeff Owens
COPYRIGHT
Copyright (C) 2008 Jeff Owens
This program comes with absolutely NO WARRANTY
