Does merging with the command cp -R overwrite old files?

[mrnabo]

Hi,

Just wondering if using the Terminal command 'cp -R <new dir> <old dir>' actually replaces the contents of the folder entirely, or whether it just merges the content leaving older files and folders with the same name untouched?

Let me know if I need to be clearer,

Thanks

 

[fwhh]

This command will:
copy all files from "<new dir>" into "<old dir>". If "<old dir>" contains a file with the same name as in "<new dir>", the file in "<old dir>" will be replaced with the one from "<new dir>". If you don't want this, use the "-n" switch, if you want to decide which file to keep, use the "-i" switch, eg.

cp -Ri <source dir> <target dir>

 

[mrnabo]

Thanks for clearing that up for me fwhh,

So, i'm assuming that

cp -Rn <source dir> <target dir>

Will leave same name files in the target directory?

Is there a good place to learn about the Terminal, it's commands and uses? I'm interested in learning the next steps and getting my hands a bit more dirty with UNIX.

Thanks

 

[mysterytramp]

Is there a good place to learn about the Terminal, it's commands and uses? I'm interested in learning the next steps and getting my hands a bit more dirty with UNIX.

Thanks

There may be better ones, but here are two spots:

here

or here

mt

 

[theiss]

The $15 book "Linux Phrasebook" by Scott Granneman really helped me out. Has plenty examples of commonly used commands.

HTH,
Troy

 

[fwhh]

So, i'm assuming that

cp -Rn <source dir> <target dir>

Will leave same name files in the target directory?

Yes, it will.
If you are unsure of a command, in most cases you can type eg.

man cp

which will give you the manual page for "cp". In man pages you can search with the command

/<text to search>

and repeat the search by pressing "n". Leave the man page by pressing "q".