.TH CPIO 1L \" -*- nroff -*-

.SH NAME

cpio \- copy files to and from archives

.SH SYNOPSIS

\&\fBCopy-out mode\fR

.PP

In copy-out mode, cpio copies files into an archive.  It reads a list

of filenames, one per line, on the standard input, and writes the

archive onto the standard output.  A typical way to generate the list

of filenames is with the find command; you should give find the \-depth

option to minimize problems with permissions on directories that are

unreadable.  see \*(lqOptions\*(rq.

.PP

.B cpio

{\-o|\-\-create} [\-0acvABLV] [\-C bytes] [\-H format]

[\-M message] [\-O [[user@]host:]archive] [\-F [[user@]host:]archive]

[\-\-file=[[user@]host:]archive] [\-\-format=format] [\-\-warning=FLAG]

[\-\-message=message][\-\-null] [\-\-reset\-access\-time] [\-\-verbose]

[\-\-dot] [\-\-append] [\-\-block\-size=blocks] [\-\-dereference]

[\-\-io\-size=bytes] [\-\-rsh\-command=command]  [\-\-license] [\-\-usage]

[\-\-help] [\-\-version]

< name-list [> archive]

.PP

\&\fBCopy-in mode\fR

.PP

In copy-in mode, cpio copies files out of an archive or lists the

archive contents.  It reads the archive from the standard input.  Any

non-option command line arguments are shell globbing patterns; only

files in the archive whose names match one or more of those patterns are

copied from the archive.  Unlike in the shell, an initial `\fB.\fR' in a

filename does match a wildcard at the start of a pattern, and a `\fB/\fR' in a

filename can match wildcards.  If no patterns are given, all files are

extracted.  see \*(lqOptions\*(rq.

.PP

.B cpio

{\-i|\-\-extract} [\-bcdfmnrtsuvBSV] [\-C bytes] [\-E file] [\-H format]

[\-M message] [\-R [user][:.][group]] [\-I [[user@]host:]archive]

[\-F [[user@]host:]archive] [\-\-file=[[user@]host:]archive]

[\-\-make-directories] [\-\-nonmatching] [\-\-preserve-modification-time]

[\-\-numeric-uid-gid] [\-\-rename] [\-t|\-\-list] [\-\-swap-bytes] [\-\-swap]

[\-\-dot] [\-\-warning=FLAG] [\-\-unconditional] [\-\-verbose]

[\-\-block-size=blocks] [\-\-swap-halfwords] [\-\-io-size=bytes]

[\-\-pattern-file=file] [\-\-format=format] [\-\-owner=[user][:.][group]]

[\-\-no-preserve-owner] [\-\-message=message]

[\-\-force\-local] [\-\-no\-absolute\-filenames] [\-\-absolute\-filenames]

[\-\-sparse] [\-\-only\-verify\-crc] [\-\-to\-stdout] [\-\-quiet]

[\-\-rsh-command=command] [\-\-license] [\-\-usage] [\-\-help]

[\-\-version] [pattern...] [< archive]

.PP

\&\fBCopy-pass mode\fR

.PP

In copy-pass mode, cpio copies files from one directory tree to

another, combining the copy-out and copy-in steps without actually

using an archive.  It reads the list of files to copy from the standard

input; the directory into which it will copy them is given as a

non-option argument.  see \*(lqOptions\*(rq.

.PP

.B cpio

{\-p|\-\-pass-through} [\-0adlmuvLV] [\-R [user][:.][group]]

[\-\-null] [\-\-reset-access-time] [\-\-make-directories] [\-\-link] [\-\-quiet]

[\-\-preserve-modification-time] [\-\-unconditional] [\-\-verbose] [\-\-dot]

[\-\-warning=FLAG] [\-\-dereference] [\-\-owner=[user][:.][group]]

[\-\-no-preserve-owner] [\-\-sparse]  [\-\-license] [\-\-usage] [\-\-help]

[\-\-version] destination-directory < name-list

.PP

.SH DESCRIPTION

GNU cpio is a tool for creating and extracting archives, or copying

files from one place to another.  It handles a number of cpio formats as

well as reading and writing tar files.

.PP

Following archive formats are supported: binary, old ASCII, new ASCII, crc, HPUX binary, HPUX old

ASCII, old tar, and POSIX.1 tar.  The tar format is provided for compatibility with the tar program. By

default, cpio creates binary format archives, for compatibility with older cpio programs.  When extracting

from archives, cpio automatically recognizes which kind of archive it is reading and can read archives created 

on machines with a different byte-order.

.PP

.SH OPTIONS

.TP

`\fB\-0, \-\-null\fR'

Read a list of filenames terminated by a null character, instead

of a newline, so that files whose names contain newlines can be

archived.  \s-1GNU\s0 find is one way to produce a list of

null-terminated filenames.  This option may be used in copy-out

and copy-pass modes.

.TP

`\fB\-a, \-\-reset\-access\-time\fR'

Reset the access times of files after reading them, so that it

does not look like they have just been read.

.TP

`\fB\-A, \-\-append\fR'

Append to an existing archive.  Only works in copy-out mode.  The

archive must be a disk file specified with the \-O or \-F (\-file)

option.

.TP

`\fB\-b, \-\-swap\fR'

Swap both halfwords of words and bytes of halfwords in the data.

Equivalent to \-sS.  This option may be used in copy-in mode.  Use

this option to convert 32\-bit integers between big-endian and

little-endian machines.

.TP

`\fB\-B\fR'

Set the I/O block size to 5120 bytes.  Initially the block size is

512 bytes.

.TP

`\fB\-\-block\-size=BLOCK\-SIZE\fR'

Set the I/O block size to BLOCK-SIZE * 512 bytes.

.TP

`\fB\-c\fR'

Identical to \*(lq\-H newc\*(rq, use the new (\s-1SVR4\s0) portable format.

If you wish the old portable (\s-1ASCII\s0) archive format, use \*(lq\-H odc\*(rq instead.

.TP

`\fB\-C \s-1IO\-SIZE\s0, \-\-io\-size=IO\-SIZE\fR'

Set the I/O block size to IO-SIZE bytes.

.TP

`\fB\-d, \-\-make\-directories\fR'

Create leading directories where needed.

.TP

`\fB\-E \s-1FILE\s0, \-\-pattern\-file=FILE\fR'

Read additional patterns specifying filenames to extract or list

from \s-1FILE\s0.  The lines of \s-1FILE\s0 are treated as if they had been

non-option arguments to cpio.  This option is used in copy-in mode,

.TP

`\fB\-f, \-\-nonmatching\fR'

Only copy files that do not match any of the given patterns.

.TP

`\fB\-F, \-\-file=archive\fR'

Archive filename to use instead of standard input or output.  To

use a tape drive on another machine as the archive, use a filename

that starts with `\fB\s-1HOSTNAME:\s0\fR'.  The hostname can be preceded by a

username and an `\fB@\fR' to access the remote tape drive as that user,

if you have permission to do so (typically an entry in that user's

`\fB~/.rhosts\fR' file).

.TP

`\fB\-\-force\-local\fR'

With \-F, \-I, or \-O, take the archive file name to be a local file

even if it contains a colon, which would ordinarily indicate a

remote host name.

.TP

`\fB\-H \s-1FORMAT\s0, \-\-format=FORMAT\fR'

Use archive format \s-1FORMAT\s0.  The valid formats are listed below;

the same names are also recognized in all\-caps.  The default in

copy-in mode is to automatically detect the archive format, and in

copy-out mode is `\fBbin\fR'.

.TP

`bin'

The obsolete binary format.

.TP

`odc'

The old (\s-1POSIX\s0.1) portable format.

.TP

`newc'

The new (\s-1SVR4\s0) portable format, which supports file systems

having more than 65536 i\-nodes.

.TP

`crc'

The new (\s-1SVR4\s0) portable format with a checksum (Sum32) added.

.TP

`tar'

The old tar format.

.TP

`ustar'

The \s-1POSIX\s0.1 tar format.  Also recognizes \s-1GNU\s0 tar archives,

which are similar but not identical.

.TP

`hpbin'

The obsolete binary format used by \s-1HPUX\s0's cpio (which stores

device files differently).

.TP

`hpodc'

The portable format used by \s-1HPUX\s0's cpio (which stores device

files differently).

.TP

`\fB\-i, \-\-extract\fR'

Run in copy-in mode.  see \*(lqCopy\-in mode\*(rq.

.TP

`\fB\-I archive\fR'

Archive filename to use instead of standard input.  To use a tape

drive on another machine as the archive, use a filename that

starts with `\fB\s-1HOSTNAME:\s0\fR'.  The hostname can be preceded by a

username and an `\fB@\fR' to access the remote tape drive as that user,

if you have permission to do so (typically an entry in that user's

`\fB~/.rhosts\fR' file).

.TP

`\fB\-k\fR'

Ignored; for compatibility with other versions of cpio.

.TP

`\fB\-l, \-\-link\fR'

Link files instead of copying them, when possible.

.TP

`\fB\-L, \-\-dereference\fR'

Copy the file that a symbolic link points to, rather than the

symbolic link itself.

.TP

`\fB\-m, \-\-preserve\-modification\-time\fR'

Retain previous file modification times when creating files.

.TP

`\fB\-M \s-1MESSAGE\s0, \-\-message=MESSAGE\fR'

Print \s-1MESSAGE\s0 when the end of a volume of the backup media (such

as a tape or a floppy disk) is reached, to prompt the user to

insert a new volume.  If \s-1MESSAGE\s0 contains the string \*(lq%d\*(rq, it is

replaced by the current volume number (starting at 1).

.TP

`\fB\-n, \-\-numeric\-uid\-gid\fR'

Show numeric \s-1UID\s0 and \s-1GID\s0 instead of translating them into names

when using the `\fB\-\-verbose option\fR'.

.TP

`\fB\-\-no\-absolute\-filenames\fR'

Create all files relative to the current directory in copy-in

mode, even if they have an absolute file name in the archive.

.TP

`\fB\-\-absolute\-filenames\fR' (default)

Do not strip leading file name components that contain \*(lq..\*(rq

and leading slashes from file names in copy-in mode

.TP

`\fB\-\-no\-preserve\-owner\fR'

Do not change the ownership of the files; leave them owned by the

user extracting them.  This is the default for non-root users, so

that users on System V don't inadvertently give away files.  This

option can be used in copy-in mode and copy-pass mode

.TP

`\fB\-o, \-\-create\fR'

Run in copy-out mode.  see \*(lqCopy\-out mode\*(rq.

.TP

`\fB\-O archive\fR'

Archive filename to use instead of standard output.  To use a tape

drive on another machine as the archive, use a filename that

starts with `\fB\s-1HOSTNAME:\s0\fR'.  The hostname can be preceded by a

username and an `\fB@\fR' to access the remote tape drive as that user,

if you have permission to do so (typically an entry in that user's

`\fB~/.rhosts\fR' file).

.TP

`\fB\-\-only\-verify\-crc\fR'

Verify the \s-1Sum32 checksum\s0's of each file in the archive, when reading a

\s-1crc\s0 format archive. Don't actually extract the files.

.TP

`\fB\-p, \-\-pass\-through\fR'

Run in copy-pass mode.  see \*(lqCopy\-pass mode\*(rq.

.TP

`\fB\-\-quiet\fR'

Do not print the number of blocks copied.

.TP

`\fB\-r, \-\-rename\fR'

Interactively rename files.

.TP

`\fB\-R [user][:.][group], \-\-owner [user][:.][group]\fR'

Set the ownership of all files created to the specified user and/or

group in copy-out and copy-pass modes.  Either the user, the

group, or both, must be present.  If the group is omitted but the

\&\*(lq:\*(rq or \*(lq.\*(rq separator is given, use the given user's login group.

Only the super-user can change files' ownership.

.TP

`\fB\-\-rsh\-command=COMMAND\fR'

Notifies cpio that is should use \s-1COMMAND\s0 to communicate with remote

devices.

.TP

`\fB\-s, \-\-swap\-bytes\fR'

Swap the bytes of each halfword (pair of bytes) in the files.This

option can be used in copy-in mode.

.TP

`\fB\-S, \-\-swap\-halfwords\fR'

Swap the halfwords of each word (4 bytes) in the files.  This

option may be used in copy-in mode.

.TP

`\fB\-\-sparse\fR'

Write files with large blocks of zeros as sparse files.  This

option is used in copy-in and copy-pass modes.

.TP

`\fB\-t, \-\-list\fR'

Print a table of contents of the input.

.TP

`\fB\-\-to\-stdout\fR'

Extract files to standard output.  This option may be used in

copy-in mode.

.TP

`\fB\-u, \-\-unconditional\fR'

Replace all files, without asking whether to replace existing

newer files with older files.

.TP

`\fB\-v, \-\-verbose\fR'

List the files processed, or with `\fB\-t\fR', give an `\fBls \-l\fR' style

table of contents listing.  In a verbose table of contents of a

ustar archive, user and group names in the archive that do not

exist on the local system are replaced by the names that

correspond locally to the numeric \s-1UID\s0 and \s-1GID\s0 stored in the

archive.

.TP

`\fB\-V, \-\-dot\fR'

Print a `\fB.\fR' for each file processed.

.TP

`\fB\-W, \-\-warning\fR'

Control warning display. Currently FLAG is one of 'none', 'truncate', 'all'. Multiple options accumulate.

.TP

`\fB\-\-license\fR'

Print license and exit.

.TP

`\fB?, \-\-help\fR'

Give a help page similar to this manpage.

.TP

`\fB\-\-usage\fR'

Give a short usage message.

.TP

`\fB\-\-version\fR'

Print the cpio program version number and exit.

.PP

.SH EXAMPLES

When creating an archive, cpio takes the list of files to be

processed from the standard input, and then sends the archive to the

standard output, or to the device defined by the `\fB\-F\fR' option.

Usually find or ls is used to provide this list to

the standard input.  In the following example you can see the

possibilities for archiving the contents of a single directory.

.PP

.B % ls | cpio \-ov > directory.cpio

.PP

The `\fB\-o\fR' option creates the archive, and the `\fB\-v\fR' option prints the

names of the files archived as they are added.  Notice that the options

can be put together after a single `\fB\-\fR' or can be placed separately on

the command line.  The `\fB>\fR' redirects the cpio output to the file

`\fBdirectory.cpio\fR'.

.PP

If you wanted to archive an entire directory tree, the find command

can provide the file list to cpio:

.PP

.B % find . \-print \-depth | cpio \-ov > tree.cpio

.PP

This will take all the files in the current directory, the

directories below and place them in the archive tree.cpio.  Again the

`\fB\-o\fR' creates an archive, and the `\fB\-v\fR' option shows you the name of the

files as they are archived.  see \*(lqCopy\-out mode\*(rq.  Using the `\fB.\fR' in

the find statement will give you more flexibility when doing restores,

as it will save file names with a relative path vice a hard wired,

absolute path.  The `\fB\-depth\fR' option forces `\fBfind\fR' to print of the

entries in a directory before printing the directory itself.  This

limits the effects of restrictive directory permissions by printing the

directory entries in a directory before the directory name itself.

.PP

Extracting an archive requires a bit more thought because cpio will

not create directories by default.  Another characteristic, is it will

not overwrite existing files unless you tell it to.

.PP

.B % cpio \-iv < directory.cpio

.PP

This will retrieve the files archived in the file directory.cpio and

place them in the present directory.  The `\fB\-i\fR' option extracts the

archive and the `\fB\-v\fR' shows the file names as they are extracted.  If

you are dealing with an archived directory tree, you need to use the

`\fB\-d\fR' option to create directories as necessary, something like:

.PP

.B % cpio \-idv < tree.cpio

.PP

This will take the contents of the archive tree.cpio and extract it

to the current directory.  If you try to extract the files on top of

files of the same name that already exist (and have the same or later

modification time) cpio will not extract the file unless told to do so

by the \-u option.  see \*(lqCopy\-in mode\*(rq.

.PP

In copy-pass mode, cpio copies files from one directory tree to

another, combining the copy-out and copy-in steps without actually

using an archive.  It reads the list of files to copy from the standard

input; the directory into which it will copy them is given as a

non-option argument.  see \*(lqCopy\-pass mode\*(rq.

.PP

.B % find . \-depth \-print0 | cpio \-\-null \-pvd new-dir

.PP

The example shows copying the files of the present directory, and

sub-directories to a new directory called new\-dir.  Some new options are

the `\fB\-print0\fR' available with \s-1GNU\s0 find, combined with the `\fB\-\-null\fR'

option of cpio.  These two options act together to send file names

between find and cpio, even if special characters are embedded in the

file names.  Another is `\fB\-p\fR', which tells cpio to pass the files it

finds to the directory `\fBnew-dir\fR'.

.SH BUGS

The GNU folks, in general, abhor man pages, and create info documents instead.  The maintainer of 

.B cpio 

falls

into  this  category.  Thus this man page may not be complete, nor current, and was included in the Red Hat

CVS tree because man is a great tool :).

.PP

.SH REPORTING BUGS

Please report bugs via https://bugzilla.redhat.com.

.PP

.SH SEE ALSO

The full documentation for

.B cpio

is maintained as a Texinfo manual.  If the

.B info

and

.B cpio

programs are properly installed at your site, the command

.IP

.B info cpio

.PP

should give you access to the complete manual. The online copy of the documentation 

is available at the following address:

.PP

http://www.gnu.org/software/cpio/manual