Re: cp command

[Bob Clark <rlclark@usa.net>]

Syd Alsobrook wrote:
>
> Really easy
>
> The best way to copy a directory tree from one drive to another is
>
>         cp -pr /usr /hd
>
> Thanks
>
> Syd
> ----

Hmm... The _best_ way?  I not so sure.  Like most things in
*nix where there are lots of ways to get the job done there
is usually not a _best_ way.  A major problem with cp -pr is
that linked-files, both hard and soft, are broken and all
links are copied individually as regular files.  This can
cause MAJOR problems as well as consuming more disk space.

A couple of ways to avoid this problem are:

mkdir newDir
cd oldDir
find . -print | cpio -pdm newDir

    OR

mkdir newDir
cd newDir
(cd oldDir;tar cf - .) | tar xpf -

I'm sure these are not the _best_ way, but as far as I know
there are no hidden side-effects with links, permissions,
etc.

My $0.02
--Bob

--- Begin Message ---

• To: Syd Alsobrook <alsobrsp@email.uc.edu>
• Subject: Re: cp command
• From: Bob Clark <rlclark@usa.net>
• Date: Tue, 15 Jul 1997 05:09:32 -0400
• Message-id: <33CB3E4B.4E9A191@usa.net>
• References: <[🔎] 3.0.1.32.19970714171040.00969100@email.uc.edu>

Syd Alsobrook wrote:
> 
> Really easy
> 
> The best way to copy a directory tree from one drive to another is
> 
>         cp -pr /usr /hd
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Syd
> ----

Hmm... The _best_ way?  I not so sure.  Like most things in
*nix where there are lots of ways to get the job done there
is usually not a _best_ way.  A major problem with cp -pr is
that linked-files, both hard and soft, are broken and all
links are copied individually as regular files.  This can
cause MAJOR problems as well as consuming more disk space.

A couple of ways to avoid this problem are:

mkdir newDir
cd oldDir
find . -print | cpio -pdm newDir

    OR

mkdir newDir
cd newDir
(cd oldDir;tar cf - .) | tar xpf -

I'm sure these are not the _best_ way, but as far as I know
there are no hidden side-effects with links, permissions,
etc.

My $0.02
--Bob

--- End Message ---