.\" DO NOT MODIFY THIS FILE!  It was (partly) generated by help2man from

.\" cpio --help/cpio --version output and partly patched by downstream

.\" package maintainers.

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

.SH NAME

cpio \- copy files to and from archives

.SH __WARNING__

.PP

The cpio utility is considered LEGACY based on POSIX specification.  Users are

encouraged to use other archiving tools for archive creation.

If you decided to use cpio, you should almost always force cpio to use the

ustar format in copy-out mode by the -H option (cpio -o -H ustar).  This is

because the ustar format is well defined in POSIX specification and thus

readable by wide range of other archiving tools (including tar e.g.).

By default, GNU cpio uses (for historical reasons) the very old binary format

('bin') which has significant problems nowadays, e.g. with storing big inode

numbers (see the Red Hat bug #952313).

Note also that these days the modern 'pax' archive format should be considered

as the default -- but this format is not implemented in GNU cpio.  You should,

again, consider using other archivers (e.g. 'tar --format=pax').

.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] [\-D DIR]

[\-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]

[\-D DIR]

[\-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]

[\-\-ignore\-devno] [\-\-renumber\-inodes] [\-\-device\-independent]

[\-\-reproducible]

[\-\-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]] [\-D DIR]

[\-\-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

.SS "Main operation mode:"

.TP

\fB\-i\fR, \fB\-\-extract\fR

Extract files from an archive (run in copy\-in

mode)

.TP

\fB\-o\fR, \fB\-\-create\fR

Create the archive (run in copy\-out mode)

.TP

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

Run in copy\-pass mode

.TP

\fB\-t\fR, \fB\-\-list\fR

Print a table of contents of the input

.SS "Operation modifiers valid in any mode:"

.TP

\fB\-\-block\-size\fR=\fI\,BLOCK\-SIZE\/\fR

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

bytes

.TP

\fB\-B\fR

Set the I/O block size to 5120 bytes.

Initially the block size is 512 bytes.

.TP

\fB\-c\fR

Identical to "\-H newc", use the new (SVR4)

portable format. If you wish the old portable

(ASCII) archive format, use "\-H odc" instead.

.TP

\fB\-C\fR, \fB\-\-io\-size\fR=\fI\,NUMBER\/\fR

Set the I/O block size to the given NUMBER of

bytes

.TP

\fB\-D\fR, \fB\-\-directory\fR=\fI\,DIR\/\fR

Change to directory DIR

.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\fR, \fB\-\-format\fR=\fI\,FORMAT\/\fR

Use given archive FORMAT.

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\-\-quiet\fR

Do not print the number of blocks copied

.TP

\fB\-R\fR, \fB\-\-owner\fR=\fI\,[USER][\/\fR:.][GROUP]

Set the ownership of all files created to the

specified USER and/or GROUP.

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 in copy\-in mode.

.TP

\fB\-v\fR, \fB\-\-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\fR, \fB\-\-dot\fR

Print a "." for each file processed

.TP

\fB\-W\fR, \fB\-\-warning\fR=\fI\,FLAG\/\fR

Control warning display. Currently FLAG is one of

\&'none', 'truncate', 'all'. Multiple options

accumulate.

.SS "Operation modifiers valid in copy-in and copy-out modes:"

.TP

\fB\-F\fR, \fB\-\-file\fR=\fI\,[[USER\/\fR@]HOST:]FILE\-NAME

Use this FILE\-NAME instead of standard input or

output. Optional USER and HOST specify the user

and host names in case of a remote archive

.TP

\fB\-M\fR, \fB\-\-message\fR=\fI\,STRING\/\fR

Print \s-1STRING\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-1STRING\s0 contains the string \*(lq%d\*(rq, it is

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

.TP

\fB\-\-rsh\-command\fR=\fI\,COMMAND\/\fR

Use COMMAND instead of rsh

(typically /usr/bin/ssh)

.SS "Operation modifiers valid only in copy-in mode:"

.TP

\fB\-b\fR, \fB\-\-swap\fR

Swap both halfwords of words and bytes of

halfwords in the data. Equivalent to \fB\-sS\fR

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

machines.

.TP

\fB\-f\fR, \fB\-\-nonmatching\fR

Only copy files that do not match any of the given

patterns

.TP

\fB\-I\fR [[USER@]HOST:]FILE\-NAME

Archive filename to use instead of standard input.

Optional USER and HOST specify the user and host

names in case of a remote archive

.TP

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

In the verbose table of contents listing, show

numeric UID and GID

.TP

\fB\-r\fR, \fB\-\-rename\fR

Interactively rename files

.TP

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

Swap the bytes of each halfword in the files

.TP

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

Swap the halfwords of each word (4 bytes) in the

files

.TP

\fB\-\-to\-stdout\fR

Extract files to standard output

.TP

\fB\-E\fR, \fB\-\-pattern\-file\fR=\fI\,FILE\/\fR

Read additional patterns specifying filenames to

extract or list from FILE

.TP

\fB\-\-only\-verify\-crc\fR

When reading a CRC format archive, only verify the

checksum of each file in the archive, don't

actually extract the files

.SS "Operation modifiers valid only in copy-out mode:"

.TP

\fB\-A\fR, \fB\-\-append\fR

Append to an existing archive.

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

.TP

\fB\-\-device\-independent\fR, \fB\-\-reproducible\fR

Create device\-independent (reproducible) archives

.TP

\fB\-\-ignore\-devno\fR

Don't store device numbers

.TP

\fB\-O\fR [[USER@]HOST:]FILE\-NAME

Archive filename to use instead of standard

output. Optional USER and HOST specify the user

and host names in case of a remote archive

.TP

\fB\-\-renumber\-inodes\fR

Renumber inodes

.SS "Operation modifiers valid only in copy-pass mode:"

.TP

\fB\-l\fR, \fB\-\-link\fR

Link files instead of copying them, when

possible

.SS "Operation modifiers valid in copy-in and copy-out modes:"

.TP

\fB\-\-absolute\-filenames\fR

Do not strip file system prefix components from

the file names

.TP

\fB\-\-no\-absolute\-filenames\fR

Create all files relative to the current

directory

.SS "Operation modifiers valid in copy-out and copy-pass modes:"

.TP

\fB\-0\fR, \fB\-\-null\fR

Filenames in the list are delimited by null

characters instead of newlines, 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.

.TP

\fB\-a\fR, \fB\-\-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\-L\fR, \fB\-\-dereference\fR

Dereference  symbolic  links  (copy  the files

that they point to instead of copying the links).

.SS "Operation modifiers valid in copy-in and copy-pass modes:"

.TP

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

Create leading directories where needed

.TP

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

Retain previous file modification times when

creating files

.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\-\-sparse\fR

Write files with large blocks of zeros as sparse

files

.TP

\fB\-u\fR, \fB\-\-unconditional\fR

Replace all files unconditionally

.TP

\-?, \fB\-\-help\fR

give this help list

.TP

\fB\-\-usage\fR

give a short usage message

.TP

\fB\-\-version\fR

print program version

.PP

Mandatory or optional arguments to long options are also mandatory or optional

for any corresponding short options.

.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 AUTHOR

Written by Phil Nelson, David MacKenzie, John Oleynick,

and Sergey Poznyakoff.

.SH "REPORTING BUGS"

Report bugs to <bug\-cpio@gnu.org>.

Report bugs in this manual page via https://bugzilla.redhat.com.

.SH COPYRIGHT

Copyright \(co 2015 Free Software Foundation, Inc.

License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later <http://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>.

.br

This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it.

There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.

.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