CPIO(1) CPIO(1)
NAME
cpio - copy file archives in and out
SYNOPSIS
cpio -o [ acBv ]
cpio -i [ BcdmrtuvfsSb6 ] [ pattern ... ]
cpio -p [ adlmruv ] directory
DESCRIPTION
Cpio -o (copy out) reads the standard input to obtain a list
of path names and copies those files onto the standard out-
put together with path name and status information.
Cpio -i (copy in) extracts files from the standard input
which is assumed to be the product of a previous cpio -o.
Only files with names that match the patterns are selected.
Patterns are given in the name-generating notation of sh(1);
the default is * (all files). The extracted files are con-
ditionally created and copied into the current directory
tree based upon the options described below. File ownership
is preserved if possible.
Cpio -p (pass) reads from the standard input a list of path
names of files to copy into the destination directory.
The options are:
a Reset access times of input files after they have been
copied.
B Input/output is to be blocked 5,120 bytes to the record
(does not apply to the pass option; meaningful only
with data directed to or from
d Directories are to be created as needed.
c Write header information in ASCII character form for
portability.
r Interactively rename files. An empty name (newline
only) causes a file to be skipped.
t Print a table of contents of the input. No files are
created.
u Copy unconditionally (normally an older file will not
overwrite a newer file).
v (Verbose) List file names; -vt looks like ls -l.
l Whenever possible, link files rather than copying them.
Usable only with the -p option.
m Retain previous file modification time. This option is
ineffective on directories that are being copied.
f Copy in all files except those in patterns.
s Swap bytes. Use only with the -i option.
CPIO(1) CPIO(1)
S Swap halfwords. Use only with the -i option.
b Swap both bytes and halfwords. Use only with the -i
option.
6 Process an old (i.e., UNIX Sixth Edition format) file.
Only useful with -i (copy in).
EXAMPLES
ls | cpio -oc >/dev/mt1
Copy the contents of the current directory to a tape.
mkdir newdir
cd olddir
find . -print | cpio -pd ../newdir
Reproduce a directory hierarchy; newdir must exist.
SEE ALSO
ar(1), bundle(1), tar(1), find(1), cpio(5), cp(1)
BUGS
Path names are restricted to 128 characters.
Does not know about symbolic links.
If there are too many unique linked files, linking informa-
tion is lost.
Only the super-user can copy special files.
The archive size is reported in archaic `blocks' of 512
bytes.