cp large amount of files w/o overwritting

[bluedragon2]

Is it possible to copy a large number of files without overwriting existing files and not use the interactive option?

Thanks

[Blue]Blue[/Blue] [Dragon]

If I wasn't Blue, I would just be a Dragon...

 

[Annihilannic]

You can use rsync to do that, it doesn't have to be across networks.

Alternatively you can use cpio like this:

cd /srcdir
find . | cpio -vdmp /targetdir

Annihilannic.

 

[bluedragon2]

Thanks, we can not use rsync for this one. I was looking at the cpio, but not get to in-depth with it yet.

Thanks...

[Blue]Blue[/Blue] [Dragon]

If I wasn't Blue, I would just be a Dragon...

 

[Annihilannic]

Actually... I forgot to check, the existing files, will they have the same dates as those in the source location? Because cpio will overwrite them if the source files are newer; it only skips them if the destination files are newer. So it may not be exactly what you require.

Annihilannic.

 

[Mike042]

It may be worth looking at:
set -o noclobber (in ksh

to prevent existing files being overwritten. I've not really used it apart from a quick test. If the file exists, the copy command (or whatever is trying overwrite the file) errors with something like:
/bin/ksh: <the-filename>: file already exists


I hope that helps.

Mike

 

[bluedragon2]

Thanks all, I ended up writing a quick script to copy the files. Ran out of time as usual

[Blue]Blue[/Blue] [Dragon]

If I wasn't Blue, I would just be a Dragon...

 

[Annihilannic]

noclobber only affects file creation by the shell, for example by redirection. Other utilities such as cp are unaffected.

$ touch a b
$ cp a b
$ echo > a
$ set -o noclobber
$ echo > a
ksh: a: file already exists
$ cp a b
$

Annihilannic.