Linux in a Nutshell, Fifth Edition

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Chapter 3: Linux Commands

This is the Title of the Book, eMatter Edition

Copyright © 2006 O’Reilly & Associates, Inc. All rights reserved.

-s, --symbolic-link

Make symbolic links instead of copying. Source filenames

must be absolute.

--sparse=[always|auto|never]

Handle files that have “holes” (are defined as a certain size but

have less data). always creates a sparse file, auto creates one if

the input file is sparse, and never creates a non-sparse file

without holes.

-u, --update

Do not copy a file to an existing destination with the same or

newer modification time.

-v, --verbose

Before copying, print the name of each file.

-V type, --version-control=type

Set the type of backups made. You may also use the

VERSION_CONTROL environment variable. The default is

existing. Valid arguments are:

t, numbered

Always make numbered backups.

nil, existing

Make numbered backups of files that already have them;

otherwise, make simple backups.

never, simple

Always make simple backups.

-x, --one-file-system

Ignore subdirectories on other filesystems.

Example

Copy the contents of the guest directory recursively into the /archives/

guest/ directory, and display a message for each file copied:

cd /archives && cp -av /home/guest guest

cpio

cpio flags [options]

Copy file archives from or to tape or disk, or to another location on

the local machine. Each of the three flags -i, -o,or-p accepts

different options.

Flags

-i, --extract