Solved A copy utility with an update mode...

[exeter]

Is there a utility equivalent of the 'copy only newer files' option for the GNU version of cp? Hmm, I expressed that badly. Is there something that works like 'cp --update' from the GNU core-utils?

 

[cracauer@]

Always use rsync.

 

[covacat]

find . |cpio -pmdv dest_dir

 

[mer]

Always use rsync.

When I read the OP earlier, that was my instinctive reaction. "rsync because that's what it's designed to do".
The only thing people forget/get wrong is "I want to use rsync to do this full directory tree" and forget a -a or get the trailing / wrong.

 

[cracauer@]

When I read the OP earlier, that was my instinctive reaction. "rsync because that's what it's designed to do".
The only thing people forget/get wrong is "I want to use rsync to do this full directory tree" and forget a -a or get the trailing / wrong.

Yes, rsync should be used in training until the trailing "/" is natural with the user.

Flags should also include

rsync -a -S -H -X --fileflags [...]

rsync has many options and can be studied in depth. But the above is a straight "copy this tree as-is, even with special things in it".

 

[exeter]

Thanks all.