NAME
     cp - copy files

SYNOPSIS
     cp [-fip] source_file target_file
     cp [-fip] source_file... target
     cp -r|-R [-fip] source_dir... target

DESCRIPTION
     In  the  first  synopsis  form,  neither   source_file   nor
     target_file  are directory files, nor can they have the same
     name.  The cp utility will copy the contents of  source_file
     to   the   destination   path   named  by  target_file.   If
     target_file exists, cp will overwrite its contents, but  the
     mode  (and  ACL  if applicable), owner, and group associated
     with it are not changed.   The  last  modification  time  of
     target_file  and the last access time of source_file are set
     to the time the copy was  made.   If  target_file  does  not
     exist,  cp creates a new file named target_file that has the
     same mode as source_file except that the sticky bit  is  not
     set  unless  the  user is super-user; the owner and group of
     target_file are those of the owner.   If  target_file  is  a
     link  to another file with links, the other links remain and
     target_file becomes a new file.

OPTIONS
     -i   Interactive.  cp  will prompt for confirmation whenever 
          the copy would overwrite an existing target. A y answer
          means that  the copy should  proceed.  Any other answer
          prevents cp from overwriting target.

     -f   Unlink.  If a file  descriptor for  a destination  file 
          cannot be obtained,  attempt to unlink  the destination
          file and proceed.

     -p   Preserve.  cp  duplicates  not  only  the  contents  of
          source_file, but also preserves the owner and group id,
          permissions modes, modification and  access  time,  and
          ACLs  if applicable.  Note that the command may fail if
          ACLs are copied to a file system that does not  support
          ACLs.   The command will not fail if unable to preserve
          modification and access time or permission  modes.   If
          unable  to  preserve  owner  and  group id, cp will not
          fail, and it will clear S_ISUID and S_ISGID bits in the
          target.  cp  will  print a diagnostic message to stderr
          and return a non-zero exit status if  unable  to  clear
          these bits.

EXAMPLES
     1. To copy a file:

          example% cp goodies goodies.old
          example% ls goodies*
          goodies goodies.old

     2. To copy a list of files to a destination directory:

          example% cp ~/src/*   /tmp

     3. To copy a directory, first to  a  new,  and  then  to  an
        existing destination directory:

          example% ls ~/bkup
          /usr/example/fred/bkup not found
          example% cp -r ~/src ~/bkup
          example% ls -R ~/bkup
          x.c y.c z.sh
          example% cp -r ~/src ~/bkup
          example% ls -R ~/bkup
          src x.c y.c z.sh

          src:
          x.c y.c z.sh

SEE ALSO
     chmod(1), setfacl(1), environ(5)

NOTES
     The permission modes of the source file are preserved in the
     copy.

     A -- permits the user to mark the end of  any  command  line
     options  explicitly,  thus allowing cp to recognize filename
     arguments that begin with a -.
     If a -- and a - both appear on the same  command  line,  the
     second will be interpreted as a filename.


For more information, use the 'man cp' command.